Zero 2: Housemates
by Ultra Sonic 007
Summary: [Set after Revision] Davis and Jun, after the Odaiba War, are now orphans. Fortunately, the parents of Jun's friend have agreed to take them in. But it leads to hilarious results. Davis, Jun...welcome to the Inoue Family. [COMPLETE]
1. The Shout Heard 'Round the Corner Store

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.

Author's Notes: (smiles) Heh heh…thought it would be awhile, eh? WRONG!

The first of my many planned fics has begun…now keep in mind that since I'm not revising an entire season, I'm not sticking to the episode format in which there are about 10,000 words per episode. Instead, I'm sticking with smaller chapters…so for those of you expecting larger reading, don't expect it.

However, this format will give me a lot of free time. It'll also mean quicker updates when I have nothing else to do.

**Before I begin**, let me say something important for all first-time readers: the events taking place in my stories (this one included) are all based on my altered timeline of Season 02. If you read this story first without reading **_Zero 2: A Revision_**, then some things will not make sense to you. That is all.

(IMPORTANT NOTE: For those of you who want my thoughts on this story's recent removal, go to chapter 10.)

Begin!

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_**Housemates **_

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Chapter 1: The Shout Heard 'Round the Corner Store

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/Rooftop, Odaiba School, Odaiba, Wednesday, November 3rd, 12:12 PM/

"So how's the house hunt going?" asked Gatomon.

Demiveemon shrugged. "Don't know the exact details, but it's going better from what Davish has told me."

Right now, Gatomon, Demiveemon, Poromon, Upamon, and Patamon were on roof, staring down at the open courtyard where the students had lunch. The Digimon for the older kids were on top of the gym's rooftop; they didn't want to draw too much attention by being clumped together.

Even though Digimon were now known by society, public opinion of them was still a tad low after the war that had gripped Odaiba; numerous sides had gotten involved in the conflict, and it had left the city in ruins. Had it not been for Huanglongmon and the four Guardian Beasts, Odaiba would've still been in ruins.

But even though their homes had been rebuilt, Davis and Jun had had a hard time; when their parents Hiroto and Anzu had been killed by a parasitic race of Digimon called the Gravemon, that essentially left the two children without a lifeline. Come November 1st – the day after the payment for the apartment rent was due – their landlord forced them out of their apartment.

So far the past three days, Jun had been trying her hardest to get something done, as she was now Davis' legal guardian. After all, she was 18, and there were no other members in the Motomiya family tree.

Even so, they couldn't just sleep on the streets until they got something working…well, except that first night, but that's beside the point.

"Say Upamon, thanks for letting us stay at your place while Jun searches for a place to live," said Demiveemon as he gazed at Cody's In-Training partner.

The small Digimon smiled happily. "No problem! Cody and his mom were happy to help!"

One of the perks about the events that had occurred last week was that the Digidestined no longer had to hide their partners from their families. It was naturally awkward…but they were getting used to it. They still tried to keep their partners hidden whilst in public, because they didn't feel quite ready just yet.

But all in due time…all in due time.

Patamon remained silent as he looked down at the Digidestined; Davis, Kari, TK, Yolei, and Cody were eating quietly at one table. "Say, doesn't Davis look more upbeat than normal?"

Demiveemon nodded. "Jun said this morning that we were finally going to a new house after the school day ended. She said that she got us a new home."

"Wow! Really?" exclaimed Poromon.

Demiveemon nodded happily. Gatomon smiled. "Good for you. You guys deserve a good home."

"I wonder where we're going to live though…?" wondered Demiveemon out loud.

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/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:15 PM/

"So you're moving to a new house at last?" asked Kari out of concern.

"Yep!" said Davis enthusiastically as he munched into his roast beef sandwich.

Cody smiled slightly as he sipped his orange juice. "I'm glad. Still, you were welcome to stay at my home."

"Nah. I didn't want to be a bother. Besides, my GUARDIAN," Davis couldn't help but cringe slightly; the thought of Jun being his legal guardian gave him the willies for some reason. Maybe it was his old sibling rivalry wanting a way out. Anyhow, he continued, "Said that that we're moving into the home of one of her friends."

"Who is it?" asked TK as he slowly bit into a rice ball.

Davis shrugged. "Don't know."

"Any suspicions as to who?" asked Kari.

Davis couldn't help but smile slyly. "I have a feeling it might be her new sweetheart: Jim Kido."

Yolei blinked out of shock. "Joe's older brother?"

Davis nodded as the youngest Inoue child chomped down on a banana. "Think about it! I mean, Jun was on the phone with him for at least an HOUR last night! She's even sold her old Teenage Wolves and Matt Ishida posters to make some spare cash!"

"Well, that's probably a blessing for my brother," said TK with a grin.

That elicited a small round of laughs from the Digidestined; even Cody had a tiny chuckle, as he was also aware of how Jun had hounded Matt. The elder Motomiya child had once idolized Matt with the fervent passion that all fangirls seemed to possess. But during the events leading up to and during the War for the Real World, Jun and Jim had steadily fallen for each other in a relationship that had been forged by hardship and strife. It was safe to say – more like a fact – that Jun would not have survived the war without Jim by her side.

"Still, I wonder who the unlucky ones getting YOU as a new relative are," joked Yolei as she crumpled up her banana peel.

Davis snarled. "One day Yolei…I'LL GET YOU BACK!"

"Oh yeah?" retorted Yolei as she angrily stood.

"YEAH!" yelled Davis. Lightning crackled and surged between their eyes as they glared daggers at each other.

**_BRRRIIING!_**

As the bell signaling the end of lunch sounded, Cody sighed. _Sometimes, I wonder why they pick on each other so much…_

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/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 2:13 PM/

As Jun quietly walked through the packed hallway towards her next class, she could barely contain the smile on her face.

She could barely believe that she had managed to make it all work. After stressed talks with her friend – and her friend's folks – considering the possibility of them becoming the legal guardians of Davis and herself, it had finally managed to get done. The legal papers had been signed and done with; Davis had never been one for legal mumbo-jumbo, and he basically let Jun do whatever she wanted as long as she got them a home (she even got that message on tape, so she could present it at the legal dealings).

Starting this afternoon, they'd be at a new home…and a new life would begin.

As she slowly neared her next close, Jun Motomiya sighed ruefully. _…I wish things were back to normal._

Even though the Motomiyas were soon about to become part of another family, Jun craved the old days when her parents were still alive. Even though the parents worked a lot – and Jun shared a classic kind of sibling rivalry with Davis – family life had been stable…and, at the times the parents got time off, very enjoyable.

But now…those times were no more.

Jun stifled a sniffle. _Don't cry Jun…not now. You're moving on…you can cry later._

With a smile on her face, Jun walked into her next class as the bell rang.

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/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:13 PM/

"And the crowd goes wild!" cheered Tai as one of the elementary kids kicked a soccer ball past his legs and into a goal.

On the sideline bleachers sat three people.

The girlfriend: Sora Takenouchi.

The best friend: Matt Ishida.

The best friend's girlfriend: Mimi Tachikawa.

Sora smiled as she watched Tai coach the younger children in the ways of soccer. "Tai looks so happy out there."

"At least he's managed to find a way to deal with the post-war trauma," joked Matt as he sipped a sports drink. Truth was, some of the Digidestined had been…well, bored after the final battle against BelialMyotismon. Even though they were completely spent physically and mentally, those few had wanted to continue on doing something. Tai had been one of them…so he had coped by volunteering to coach elementary children in the ways of soccer.

Mimi blinked as she watched the group of kids fake mob Tai, who let them do so. "Uh…is he being hurt?"

"Nah…he's just letting them have fun," said Sora.

"Hey guys!"

The three turned their heads to see TK, Kari, Yolei, and Cody walk towards them. Yolei looked around and asked, "Say, where's Izzy?"

"He's tutoring at computer class," replied Matt.

Kari glanced at the soccer field; Tai suddenly started yelping as the children latched onto his hair. She then giggled. "Silly Tai…I told him that he should've cut that hair down. It's too big a target."

TK then stared at Matt with a small smile on his face. "So…any more news about mom and dad?"

"They're planning it out…I give it about a few months," replied Matt with a smile.

After the events of the Odaiba War, Natsuko Takaishi and Hiroaki Ishida – after talking with each other to correct some old historical inaccuracies – had planned to remarry. Soon, TK and Natsuko's last name would be Ishida again…and the two brothers couldn't be happier.

Cody looked around quietly. "Say, where's Davis?"

"I think he left with Jun immediately after school ended," replied Kari. "Probably to see their new home."

Cody nodded. "I see…" He then turned to Yolei. "Yolei, do you mind if I walk home with you? I need to get some milk from your family's convenience store."

Yolei nodded; after all, Cody and Yolei lived in the same apartment complex. "Of course!"

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/Odaiba, 3:30 PM/

"Can I take the blindfold off yet?"

"Not yet Davis!"

"Come on Jun! I'm blind here!"

"Just a little longer…"

"…"

"…doot doot doo…"

"Jun, if you start humming…"

"Here we are!"

_DING_.

"What was that?"

"That sounds out when the doors open Davis."

"…it sounds familiar though…"

"Okay, you can take it off!"

Davis immediately took off the red blindfold…and immediately realized why the 'ding' had sounded so familiar: it was the sound that accompanied the opening of the doors of the Inoue Convenience Store.

And standing several feet in front of them were all the Inoues save for Yolei: Mr. Sasuke and Mrs. Subaru, and the children; Mantarou, Momoe (Jun's friend), and Chizuru.

And they were all smiling.

Davis, however, was not. "Uh…why are we here?"

Jun smiled as she pinched her little brother's left cheek. "Why else?"

Before Davis could say anything, Sasuke hugged him fiercely. "Ah…! Welcome to the family, Davis Motomiya! Or should I say Davis 'Inoue'?"

_DING_.

Yolei and Cody walked in…and Yolei blinked. "Uh…hello everyone…dad…why are you hugging Davis?"

Sasuke chuckled as he let go and slapped Davis on the back with a good-natured smile. Momoe giggled as she embraced her friend; Jun then said, "Remember how I've been searching for a new home? Well…" Jun then turned around and clutched Davis' shoulders with a smile. "Say hello to your new siblings!"

Davis was silent.

Yolei was silent.

Then, an indescribable horror seeped into their bones…and then their disbelief erupted in full force.

_**"WHAT?"**_

As Davis and Yolei yelled simultaneously, Cody blinked out of surprise. "…I didn't see THIS coming."

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To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 2: The First Night

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Author's Notes: BWAHAHAHA! My evil knows no limits…and how many of you thought it would take weeks for this to come out? ;D

In the next chapter…Davis and Jun go through the first night. Although Jun has it easier…how will Davis and Yolei – two rivals – cope?

See you soon, and please review!


	2. The First Night

Standard Disclaimer: REFER TO CHAPTER ONE!

Author's Notes: Just to let you all know…this story wouldn't be a story without some character development… ;)

Begin!

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Chapter 2: The First Night

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/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 3:35 PM/

_No way…no WAY…_ Davis couldn't believe his ill fortune. He had let Jun handle all of the 'new home hunting'…because he trusted her judgment to do the right thing.

Bad move.

Now, in all honesty, Jun had done well; they were in a home, and Davis knew that Yolei's family were nice people…but that was the thing. He now had to live…with Yolei Inoue. _Wonderful Jun…just wonderful. Dealing with Yolei when she becomes 'She-Hulk' is bad enough…now I have to **live** with her? It's not fair!_

Yolei was thinking along those same lines…except she was a tad more vocal. "HOLD THE PHONE! **_WHAT DID YOU SAY?_**"

Mantarou sarcastically said, "Uh, gee, let me think…oh! I know." He then got right in his little sister's face. "MOM AND DAD ADOPTED THEM."

"And if we hadn't already sent the papers in, we would show them to prove it!" said Sasuke with a smile.

Yolei couldn't believe what she was hearing. Davis…her friend, albeit a cocky, impulsive, and macho one…was going to become…her _BROTHER?_ "No way…this is so wrong on SO many levels!"

_No kidding_, thought Davis bitterly. He had had a hard enough time dealing with Yolei before…what about NOW? He then glared at Jun. "So sis…what possessed you to choose the Inoues?"

Momoe smiled as she placed an arm around Jun. "I think I'm partly to blame."

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/Flashback/

/Five Days Ago/

Momoe hummed along to a song playing in her head – studying a biology textbook to prepare for the return to school – when the phone in her room suddenly rang. "Got it!" She quickly picked up the cordless phone and said, "Hello, Inoue Residence, may I ask who's calling?"

**"Hi Mome's…it's Jun."**

"Ah! If it ain't Miss Month!" said Momoe with a smile as she sat up on her bed. Jun and Momoe, being the friends they were, had come up with friendly nicknames; Jun's nickname was 'Miss Month', and Momoe's was 'Mome's'. "What can I do for you?"

"…**well…"**

Momoe suddenly frowned. Jun sounded…sad. "What's wrong? You sound upset."

"**Well…you know today's Friday, right?"**

"Yeah."

**"Well…the time to pay the apartment's rent comes on Monday…and with our parents having died…"**

Momoe suddenly gasped. "Oh, I see…no money to pay for it."

**"And without any relatives to go to, Davis and I will be in a rut! We'll be forced to live on the streets! That's not a life I want…it's not a life I want Davis to have! Oh man…what am I going to do…?"**

Momoe frowned as her eyes hardened; she and Jun had been best friends since the Motomiyas had moved to Odaiba. Jun had helped Momoe (one incident involved Jun doing BOTH hers and Momoe's homework for a week while Momoe had had the chicken pox), and Momoe had helped Jun (for instance, getting a signed autograph from Matt Ishida because Momoe wasn't a rabid fangirl like Jun). And right now, Jun was at the end of the line…

"…I think I have an idea." Momoe didn't know if it would work…but they were best friends. She had to help her out. That was what friends did. "Come over to my house right now. We'll both talk with my mom and dad."

It Jun a few moments to grasp Momoe's idea. **"Oh Momoe…no. I can't…your family lives in a cramped household already…"**

"So?" replied Momoe with a happy voice. "We have four rooms. Yolei has hers, I room with Chizuru, Mantarou has his own, and mom and dad have theirs. We can make it work by getting a bunk bed in my room so you can sleep in there, and Davis can bunk with Mantarou! Trust me…we'll make it work! I'll convince mom and dad. Trust me."

"**Momoe…"** On the other end of the line, Jun could be heard sniffling. **"Okay. I'll be right over."**

/End Flashback/

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"And thankfully enough, I convinced mom and dad to let you guys stay!" exclaimed Momoe as she embraced her friend.

"Of course, we had a few conditions," interrupted Subaru, a small smile on her face. "For one, Jun has to work. We don't need an 18-year old freeloader. Secondly, she wouldn't have to mind rooming with both Momoe and Chizuru. Thirdly, Davis wouldn't mind rooming with Mantarou. Aside from that, you're all set."

"But-but-but-but…but what about money? We're already paying for an apartment, a convenience store, and SIX PEOPLE, plus one Digimon! Do we even have enough to pay for two more people and ANOTHER Digimon?" protested Yolei.

Sasuke merely smiled. "Yep!"

Yolei went silent. "…what?"

"You see dear, there's this little savings account that we've had going for the past several years," explained Subaru. "We put 5-percent of our annual earnings in their at the end of every year…and the grand total of money in there is 26,450 dollars so far. So if we run into a bit of problem – which I doubt – we'll be just peachy for at least a few months."

Yolei sweatdropped. "Uh…really? How come I didn't know?"

"They're our parents. They don't have to tell you anything," sarcastically replied Chizuru. Yolei shot an annoyed look at her older sister.

"Now that that's out of the way…say hello to Jun Inoue and Davis Inoue!" exclaimed Mantarou.

Davis Inoue…that sounds terrible. Davis' face scrunched together as he muttered, "Man…I have to be Yolei's BROTHER? Gah…"

Tsk tsk tsk. Should've kept his mouth shut. Yolei's ears pricked as she picked up Davis' voice. "Hey…what's THAT supposed to mean?"

Davis grumbled as he glared at Yolei. "Come on, let's face it: you're the human version of Mount Vesuvius!"

"SAY _WHAT!_ **ARE YOU INSINUATING I BLOW MY TOP?"** roared Yolei.

Davis smugly replied, "I just call it as I see it!"

Yolei gritted her teeth before firing a shot of her own. "Well at least I'M not some arrogant, brash, cocky, macho man!"

"Says who?" angrily retorted Davis.

"Says ME!"

"Oh yeah?"

"YEAH!"

**_"RRRR!"_** growled both of them as they glared into each other's eyes, lightning crackling between them.

Sasuke just smiled happily. "Perfect! They're acting like siblings already!"

Subaru, Mantarou, Chizuru, Momoe, and Jun all sweatdropped.

Cody, meanwhile, was just staring on in the background. Finally, he sighed.

"Hey Cody!" chirped Upamon as he poked his head out of the Child of Humility's backpack. "What's up? Why have we stopped?"

Cody just sighed. "Just watching the never-ending conflict that is Yolei versus Davis." He then turned his head toward Subaru. "Mrs. Inoue? I'd like to put a gallon of 2-percent milk on the Hida tab, if you don't mind."

Subaru Inoue nodded with a smile. "Of course! Remember our policy: money by tomorrow!" You see, the convenience store – seeing as it was based on the bottom of an apartment complex – had a special deal for people living in the apartments above it. If the consumer so desired, he or she could take something for free while putting the price on a tab. That consumer would then have one day to pay the Inoues back…because otherwise, the Inoues would tag on a 5-percent interest rate that would increase by one-percent daily. Still, most people paid them back on time (those who didn't had paid up anyway), and the Hidas were no exception.

Cody bowed out of gratitude after grabbing the milk jug. "Thank you. I'll return with the money as soon as I get this to my mother." With that said, Cody exited the convenience store to use the main apartment entrance…well, not before he turned around to face Jun. "Should I go ahead and bring your stuff down from my apartment?"

Jun shook her head; when the Motomiya apartment had been repossessed, the furniture and appliances had been taken;

At that moment, Poromon poked his head out of Yolei's backpack. "Agh…what's with all of the noise? I'm trying to sleep in here!"

Demiveemon then poked his head out of Davis' backpack; unlike Poromon, he was green in the face. "…gym…socks…smell…icky…" However, the moment he looked around, his demeanor changed. "Ooh! Snacks!"

Momoe inwardly cringed; by helping Jun, she had brought Davis along…so was that a good thing?

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/Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 7:05 PM/

Gatomon and Koromon both sweatdropped.

"Tai! Give me the remote!"

"No way! Inuyasha's on!"

"I'm missing out on the news!"

"The NEWS? Since when do you prefer news over your stupid soaps?"

"Since Digimon were made known to the Real World!" Kari was serious about that; ever since the end of the Odaiba War – as members of the media called the War for the Real World between UmbraDevimon's Army, the Demon Corps, the Gravemon, and the humans themselves – she had been trying to keep an eye on news involving Digimon/Human relations. "And my soaps are NOT stupid!"

"Come on! The news is on all day! Inuyasha isn't!"

"Am I going to have to yank your hair?"

"The remote's mine!"

As the two Kamiya children struggled for the remote, Koromon asked, "What are the odds?"

"Kari will win," nonchalantly answered Gatomon.

_RING-RING._

"Got it!" yelled Gatomon as she scampered towards the phone in the kitchen…

"Rowr…"

…only to find Miko – the Kamiyas' cat – standing between her and the phone. Gatomon frowned as the cat growled at her. "'Rowr' you tub of lard."

Miko hissed before scampering away from Gatomon.

"Man…what's that cat's deal?" wondered Gatomon. Truthfully, it had been a miracle Miko had survived all of the destruction that had gripped Odaiba. When the Kamiyas had returned home after that horrible mess, they had found Miko, waiting there for them. It had been flabbergasting. Even so, they had been overjoyed…well, except for Gatomon. Miko didn't seem to like her that much.

_Oh well. Not my fault_. Gatomon calmly picked up the phone with paw, pressed the button, and said, "This is the Kamiya residence, may I ask who's calling?"

**"This is Yolei…put Kari on the phone Gatomon."**

"Roger that Yolei." Gatomon peeked into the living room – to see Tai pinning Kari's arms with his legs – and yelled, "Kari! Yolei wants to talk to you!"

"Tai, you heard Gatomon! Let me go!"

"Hah! I win!"

Kari grimaced as she walked into the kitchen and grabbed the phone from Gatomon's open paws. "Hello? Yolei?"

**"Hi Kari…"**

"What's wrong?" asked Kari, her voice suddenly full of concern. "You sound ill. You sick or something?"

**"No…remember how Davis was saying Jun had found a new house?"**

"Yeah."

"**Well…"** A sigh. **"It turns out that house was mine…"**

It took Kari a few moments to connect the dots. "Wow! That's great! So Davis and Jun are living at your house now? That's just awe…some…" Kari suddenly went silent as she connected the rest of the dots. "Oh. I get it now."

**"Yeah. How the heck am I supposed to adapt to DAVIS living in my house? HOW?"**

Kari frowned. Yolei and Davis both had an infamous history of getting into verbal scuffles. "That's a toughie…I don't know what to say about that. But shouldn't you be happy for Jun and Davis anyway? At least they're not mooching off of Cody anymore."

**"Yeah…but why'd it have to be MY house? I mean, dinner was a disaster!"**

"Really? What happened?"

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/Flashback/

/20 Minutes Ago/

"FOOD FIGHT!" yelled Demiveemon and Poromon.

"Uh oh!" yelped Jun as rice, Kobe beef, and ramen noodles went flying.

"DIVE! DIVE!" yelled Subaru as the Inoues – including the two noobs of the family – all dove under the table.

Davis winced as he heard beef go 'splat' on the floor around him. "Oh man…this is a disaster!"

"Heh, this is nothing! You should've seen what happened when our kids weren't even teenagers!" joked Sasuke.

"Uh, pardon me for interrupting…" Chizuru then pointed to Yolei, whose face was going blue. "I think Yolei's choking."

"WHAT?" yelped Davis and Jun.

Instead of acting shocked, as the two 'Ex-Motomiyas' expected, Momoe sighed. "Well, it's the monthly tradition of 'someone choking." Indeed; once a month, a member of the family ALWAYS choked on a food of some sort. Yolei was just continuing the tradition. "Mantarou! Heimlich!"

"Roger that!" responded Mantarou as he crawled over towards Yolei, ignoring the pain that shot up his right thigh; during the Odaiba War, a Bakemon soldier for the Demon Corps had slashed open his right thigh, creating a very painful wound. It had yet to heal, as one could guess from the hidden bandages under his pants' leg.

As Mantarou administered the Heimlich Maneuver to Yolei, Davis couldn't help but facefault. _What has Jun gotten us into…?_

/End Flashback/

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**"I NEARLY CHOKED ON A FLYING RICEBALL! _A RICEBALL!_"**

Kari, on the other hand, couldn't help but giggle slightly.

"**I'm glad you find this so funny,"** sarcastically replied Yolei.

"Sorry. It's just that it sounds…well, humorous."

**"Gah…why's all this happening?"**

"That's karma for you," cracked Kari. "Listen, I've got to go now. I hope things go well for you."

"**Gee. Thanks a lot."** Yolei then hung up.

Kari frowned as she put the phone back on its receiver. _Man, she sure sounds upset…but then again, considering how often she fights with Davis_. Shrugging, Kari immediately returned to the living room…and latched onto Tai's hair. "GIMME THE REMOTE!"

"AGH! HAIR! HURTING! PAIN!"

Koromon sweatdropped. "Ouch."

"Doubt me now?" cracked Gatomon.

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/Momoe and Chizuru's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:45 PM/

Jun looked around silently at Momoe and Chizuru's room. The room was evenly divided into two halves; Momoe's being the left side, and Chizuru's being the right. The wall – which happened to be covered by blue wallpaper on both sides of the room – around Momoe's side of the room was lined with old pictures and paintings of hers; Chizuru's wall was lined with posters of the latest bands and teen sensations (Matt Ishida and the Teenage Wolves being among them). Their beds were simple fare – mattresses, white sheets, some personal blankets, and pillows sitting on a wooden frame – and there was only one window in the room. There was a small closet on the far end of the room, and two dressers made of unpolished oak sat side-by-side to the side of the closet. Affixed to the white ceiling was a fan with two light bulbs situated into its center.

The furnishings were simple; nothing extravagant. Around Jun's legs sat four bags filled with clothes and her personal possessions, a tightly wrapped bundle of blankets and pillows, and some pictures in a large plastic bag; she had gotten them down from Cody's apartment about thirty minutes ago.

Jun sighed as she glanced at Chizuru, who was stepping into the closet to change into her pajamas. "You know, I wouldn't have minded sleeping on the couch, or even the floor."

"Come on, it's not like this hasn't been done before." As Chizuru stepped out, wearing light blue pajamas, she continued, "Besides, remember the last time you came here for a sleepover? Momoe and Mantarou had to arm wrestle for the sofa. Mantarou ended up losing and had to sleep there…just like this time, except he gets the chair this time." It was true; all conflicts were resolved by games of some sort in the Inoue household. When it came to decide who slept on the couch when someone came over, it was always pitted between Momoe and Mantarou, as they were the oldest siblings. Usually, it was done with an arm wrestling match or a two-out-of-three bout of Ro-Sham-Bo (rock, paper, scissors, for the uninitiated). This time around, Momoe had won. She got the couch. Mantarou got the chair.

Jun sighed as she pulled out her pink pajamas from one of her bags and entered the closet to change. "…I just hope we don't end up as a burden…"

"You worry too much," replied Chizuru as she got into her bed. "It'll all work out."

Jun sighed inside the closet; as she unbuttoned her school uniform and got her pajamas on, she thought, _It's not me I'm worried about…it's Davis._

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/Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:50 PM/

Davis sighed as he set his bags – which held his clothes, toys, blankets, and pillows – down on the floor. Mantarou's room had one small window on the far side of the room. There was no closet; just a wooden dresser painted black for all of Mantarou's clothes. An old Sony TV sat on a brown TV stand against the wall. On the opposite wall sat Mantarou's small bed. There was now wallpaper; just walls with white paint. A glass dome covered the three lights on the ceiling, which gave the room a dull glow. The tan carpet felt good to Davis' bare feet.

The Child of Miracles sighed as he got out of his day clothes and got into his pajamas, which consisted of comfortable gray shorts and a white T-shirt. The Crest of Miracles that was embedded in his sternum gave off a soft golden glow. He took off his goggles and placed them on the post of the bed frame. "Man…what a day…"

"What's wrong Davish?" asked Demiveemon; he sat on top of the TV set. "You look beat."

"I am…and the thing that's wrong is this place." Davis sighed as he flipped off the light, coating the room in darkness. His Crest was like a nightlight in the darkness. "Specifically, Yolei. Man, that girl just sets me off…"

Demiveemon frowned. "Davish…but aren't you happy that we have a house to live in now?"

"Yeah…I don't know. Maybe I'm just feeling a bit shocked that my name's 'Davis Inoue'." Davis cringed as he thought about the name. He pulled up the covers and got under them as he said, "G'night Demiveemon. Hope you get some sleep."

"Night Davish." Demiveemon hopped off the TV and jumped onto the bed, curling up into the blankets.

All was silent.

Then, a silent sob escaped Davis' throat. Tears went down his cheeks and fell onto the sheets, invisible in the darkness. _…I miss our old life…_

At night – when Davis was alone – he could cry. That was the only time his pride as a Digidestined would let him cry.

He missed his parents. Even though his parents worked most of the time – thus preventing a large relationship with them – they WERE his parents. They had provided for him. They had cared for him. In the times they had all been together – Hiroto, Anzu, Jun, and Davis himself – Davis had cherished it all. Those had been his favorite family memories…memories he would never let go.

But now, there would be no new memories…because the Motomiyas themselves were only memories.

His parents were dead…and Jun and Davis were the last of the Motomiya family tree.

And legally, they were now part of the Inoue family.

Davis tried his hardest to not wake Demiveemon up with his sobs. His old family was no more…now he would have to adapt. In a way, that hurt most of all: the fact that he could no longer return to his old way of life.

_Man…this sucks…_

Davis continued to cry silently into the dark of night. It wouldn't be until midnight when the Child of Miracles finally let slumber claim him.

His first night as an Inoue had passed.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 3: Adaptation

xxxx

Author's Notes: Hmm. I should add 'Drama' as the secondary genre.

Anyhow, is this still good?

See you soon, and please review!


	3. Adaptation

Standard Disclaimer: EAT THE CHICKEN! I DON'T OWN DIGIMON! MOO!

Author's Notes: (cackles) My insanity knows no limits! XD

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 3: Adaptation

xxxx

/Sidewalk, En Route to School, Odaiba, Thursday, November 4th, 7:31 AM/

Walking along the way towards school were three people.

Tai, who was rubbing his scalp angrily. Koromon was hiding in the massive jungle Tai called 'his hair'.

Kari, who walked beside Tai. Gatomon hopped from rooftop to rooftop above them.

And TK, who was walking beside Kari. Patamon was hiding under his hat.

"Man…my head still hurts…" muttered Tai. "Why'd you have to yank my hair so hard, Kari?"

Kari sighed. "Look, I apologized for pulling your hair already." Of course, the Kamiya children had a tendency to get rough when scuffling for the remote control. Even so, she had pulled a bit harder than she intended to. "But it proves a point I've said time and time again: YOU need a haircut."

TK lightly smiled. "Tai? Cutting his hair? You ask the impossible," joked the Child of Hope.

"Exactly!" snobbishly said Tai. He always got huffy and defensive when the subject of cutting his hair came up.

Koromon poked his face out of Tai's brown 'mop'. "Plus, his hair DOES provide a good hiding spot!"

Patamon protested, "Well it's not as good as TK's hat!"

"You're missing the point here…" muttered Kari with a sigh.

Tai frowned as he replied, "Then what IS the point?"

"YOUR. HAIR. NEEDS. CUTTING. It's too long! One of these days, it's going to get caught in a door and you'll hurt yourself!" exclaimed Kari.

Tai snorted. "Yeah right. My hair doesn't need any cutting."

TK sweatdropped as the two bickered over the Child of Courage's hair. _I wonder if Matt and I will bicker this much when we move in together?_

"Hey, look!" exclaimed Koromon. "I see Davis and Yolei!"

Tai and Kari stopped their bickering to look. TK squinted as he gazed across the street to see four figures; Davis was in the front, and Yolei was several feet behind. Also, Jun and Momoe were walking between the two 'siblings/rivals', smiles on their faces as they talked.

On the other hand, Davis and Yolei looked downcast.

Kari frowned. "I wonder why those two look so down?"

"So, you didn't mind sleeping on the couch last night?" asked Jun.

Momoe smiled as she shook her head. "Nope. It was actually quite comfy. At least it's better than the chair."

"Speaking of which, how's Mantarou doing?"

"Oh, don't worry about him Jun," lightly replied Momoe. "It's not like it's new to him."

As the two friends continued to chat away, the growling stomachs of Davis and Yolei echoed through the air. _Wonderful…just wonderful_, thought Davis with a grimace. His mind had a momentary flashback to breakfast…

xxxx

/Flashback/

/Inoue Apartment, 20 Minutes Ago/

"HI!"

"WHA!" yelped Davis as Demiveemon suddenly erupted from his bowl full of cereal (Trix, FYI), splattering milk and cereal bits everywhere. The Child of Miracles fell backwards onto the floor as Demiveemon looked at him happily. "Like my trick Davish? It's like the bunny-out-of-the-hat trick, except with cereal!"

Meanwhile, Yolei was laughing at Davis. "Ha ha! Nice one Demiveemon!"

"HI YOLEI!"

"WHA!" yelped Yolei as Poromon suddenly erupted from her bowl of cereal (Honeycomb, BTW), sloshing milk and crunchy cereal everywhere. The Child of Caring fell backwards onto the floor as Poromon looked at her confusedly. "What? I wanted to try it too!"

Yolei facefaulted as Davis laughed at her.

Suddenly, Jun grabbed Davis and Momoe grabbed Yolei. "Come on you two! We're going to be late!"

As Davis and Yolei were dragged out of the door – backpacks on their backs – they yelped, "But…but…breakfast!"

The door slammed shut behind them.

Subaru and Sasuke then looked down at Demiveemon and Poromon. Then they looked at the mess. Then back to the Digimon. Then the mess. Digimon. Mess.

The husband and wife turned to each other…

"1, 2, 3!"

…and played one round of Ro-Sham-Bo.

Sasuke grimaced as Subaru's rock crushed his scissors. Mrs. Inoue smiled as she said, "Sorry honey. You get it this time."

"I know…"

/End Flashback/

xxxx

Davis grumbled as his stomach growled. _Man…I'm going to be starving by lunchtime…_

A momentary scowl crossed Davis' face. Things were steadily getting worse for him; Jun at least had someone in the household that SHE could talk to. Demiveemon was swell and all, but he needed human interaction! He didn't know much about Mantarou…but the 19-year old Inoue didn't seem to have much 'friend' material.

The Child of Miracles frowned as he felt a pent-up anger enter his head. It was all happening too fast; on Monday, the apartment he had lived in for the past five years had been repossessed. On Tuesday – after sleeping on the streets for the night – the two Motomiyas had been grateful for the opportunity to take shelter in the Hida apartment until their situation cleared up. Yesterday, the situation had cleared up thanks to Jun…but their new home had been the Inoue apartment. Now, the Motomiyas were only a memory; now they were Inoues. Davis Inoue…that name STILL sounded terrible! This was all becoming too much…he now had a stinky name, he was now siblings to one of the most irritating girls on the face of the planet, and worst of all: he was HUNGRY! Screw this; give him a battle against an evil Digimon or an unstoppable foe anyday!

_Eh, at least we HAVE a home…_ Perhaps he was being too harsh. Maybe he was having a bit of trouble adapting. That had to be it…because he was a Digidestined. He could overcome any obstacle! He'd get through this, no problemo!

And as they neared the school, his spirits immediately brightened the moment he saw Kari walking towards the four Inoues. The fact that TK was accompanying her – Tai was Davis' personal idol of sorts, so he didn't count him – didn't bother him; he had long abandoned his jealousy of the close relationship the Child of Hope shared with the Child of Light.

"Yo Kari! Tai! TC!"

Well, almost.

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 7:45 AM/

Demiveemon and Poromon were dead silent.

Sasuke and Subaru were staring straight into their little eyes.

Finally, Subaru said, "For the mess you made – and for making Davis and little Yolei miss their breakfast – you have to be punished." Sasuke, meanwhile, was in the kitchen, doing something.

Demiveemon gulped. "W-what do you have in mind?"

Suddenly, Sasuke came in and put two shot glasses down on the table the two In-Trainings stood upon. A foul-looking – and weird-smelling – liquid sat in both.

Poromon asked, "What's in that?"

"Tabasco sauce, soy sauce, toothpaste, pepper juice, mustard, Ovaltine chocolate powder, and a dash of cherry-flavored cold medicine," said Sasuke with a wicked grin. "We make our kids drink this slop when they get punished…and I'm happy to say that it works so well that we haven't been forced to make it for the last several months!"

"However…we will ALWAYS remember the recipe for our 'Torture-Cola," said Subaru with a wicked grin. "And now you have to partake. Open wide!"

Sasuke then pried open Demiveemon's mouth and dunked the first glass of 'Torture-Cola' down his throat. Then he pried open Poromon's beak and dunked the second shot glass of the liquid down his throat as well.

In a matter of moments, the Digimon's faces turned green.

Demiveemon burst off for the bathroom.

Poromon flew off for the kitchen sink.

The sounds of hurling reached the ears of Subaru and Sasuke moments later. Sasuke grinned. "Alright! It even works on Digimon!"

Subaru sighed as she headed for a door in the living room; instead of leading to the apartment hallway like the other rooms in the apartment complex did, this one led to a stairway that connected to the Inoue Convenience Store directly below them. "Well honey, we need to get downstairs. It's almost 8 o'clock."

"But what about the Digimon? We can't just leave them up here," said Sasuke with a hint of worry.

Subaru frowned. That was true; after the little 'trick' the little Digimon had played on Yolei and Davis that morning, she wasn't about to trust them to stay out of trouble without supervision. But that would mean taking them down into the store…

A light bulb suddenly flashed above Subaru's head.

Sasuke then turned it off with the pull of its cord.

Subaru annoyingly turned it back on. "I have an idea. Don't turn it off."

"Heh. Sorry."

xxxx

/Homeroom, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 8:02 AM/

"Kari Kamiya."

"Present."

"Matsuya Jiyu."'

"Here."

"Zeru Mayaki."

"Here."

"Davis Motomiya."

"…"

"Davis MOTOMIYA."

"…"

A sigh escaped the lips of Mrs. Hakashi. The brown-haired woman taught math for the Middle School faction of the Odaiba school; although she looked graceful and eloquent in her black dress, she would NOT tolerate smart-alecks or troublemakers. And right now, Davis was about to experience that lack of tolerance. "DAVIS MOTOMIYA."

As Mrs. Hakashi's black eyes glared at the goggle-boy, Kari frowned as she glanced sideways at Davis. He looked inattentive, bored…and slightly annoyed. She leaned over to her desk's other side towards TK, whispering, "What's with Davis? He's acting weird."

"I don't know," whispered TK in reply. "But I do know he's asking for it."

"DAVIS MOTOMIYA!" yelled Mrs. Hakashi, her patience finally having reached its limit. She strolled over to Davis' desk – clipboard in hand – with a determined stride and glared down at him. The other students subconsciously leaned away from the teacher as she passed by.

Davis didn't pay her any attention. The other students paled out of shock; did this kid have a death wish?

Mrs. Hakashi finally lost her patience. "Very well Motomiya. If you're going to act this way, then I'll simply have to give you a detention slip. So I'll give you one, last, chance. DAVIS **MOTOMIYA**."

This time, it was Davis' turn to lose his patience. **"I'M NOT DAVIS MOTOMIYA!"**

Mrs. Hakashi stepped backward out of surprise. The rest of the class recoiled; they hadn't expected Davis to lash out like that. Finally, Davis angrily muttered, "My name is Davis _Inoue_."

Mrs. Hakashi blinked as she glanced down at her clipboard and flipped a few pages to the 'Teacher's Announcements Bulletin'. She looked down several lines, and then blinked. "Oh. You're right. I forgot the note." Mrs. Hakashi mentally kicked herself as she walked back up to the front and said aloud, "Davis Inoue."

"Here," replied Davis with an annoyed tone.

Kari blinked as Mrs. Hakashi continued on; what was wrong with Davis? If she didn't know any better, he was…upset. But about what? Moving in with Yolei's family? Why was that bad? _…then again, I just answered my own question._

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:09 PM/

"It's weird; Davis has been acting moody all day," said Kari with a frown. The new Digidestined had gathered at one table outside during lunchtime – the same one they always gathered at for lunch – save for one: Davis. He was sitting on the soccer field bleachers, eating lunch by himself.

Yolei shrugged as she eagerly bit into her sandwich; this was the first time she had been able to eat since she had left home that morning. "He's probably just hungry. You know how irritable some people can get when they're hungry."

"It's not just that though…" said TK with a frown. His eyes momentarily gazed up to the rooftops, where their partners sat…well, save for Demiveemon and Poromon of course. "He's acting like some great wrong's been done to him…"

"He's still upset over his parents' death," said Cody as he quietly sipped his apple juice. "After all, not everyone can experience something like that and come out unscathed." Cody knew that very well…his father, Hiroki, had died when he was only four. His grandfather, Daniel, had died at the hands of the Gravemon during the Odaiba War. Only Anna, his mother, was left…and if it hadn't been the mature philosophy his father and grandfather had taught him, he would've broken down by now. "I think he's just having some trouble adapting."

"Adapting?" said Kari, TK, and Yolei simultaneously.

"Yes. It's not often that someone can simply make a transition between families without some emotional damage." Cody sighed as he gazed toward the soccer field bleachers several dozen yards away, where Davis sat alone. "If he's going to make the transition between Motomiya to Inoue, he'll need help."

Yolei frowned as she ate her desert – a candy bar – in silence. Honestly, she WOULD like to help Davis make the transition into her family. They were friends, and that would be the friendly thing to do.

Of course, it would've been simpler if Davis didn't rub her the wrong way. That boy had an uncanny knack of doing that.

xxxx

/Outside Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 3:27 PM/

"So, how was YOUR school day?" asked Jun happily as she, Momoe, Yolei, and Davis walked closer towards the family convenience store.

Yolei lightly replied, "It was good. Gym class made me sweat like a pig though; I'll need a shower."

Davis angrily replied, "Lousy."

Momoe blinked as Davis walked towards the door. "Geez, bro. What's your problem?"

Davis suddenly whirled around, his eyes narrow with anger. "DON'T CALL ME THAT! **I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER**." With fury in his stride, Davis walked into the convenience store, complete with the customary _DING_.

Yolei scoffed. Here was an example of why it was so hard to work with Davis. "Geez! What's eating him?"

"Oh, he'll be fine," said Jun with a smile. "He's just putting up his 'Anger Front'. He always does that when he's feeling moody. Once he gets used to this place, he'll be fine…speaking of getting used to this place, has Mantarou gone bed hunting yet?"

"Yep," replied Momoe as the three girls walked towards the doors. "Mantarou should be back later on this afternoon with the bed parts. If we work hard, we should be able to complete them by tonight."

_DING_.

As they walked inside…

"Welcome to the Inoue Convenience Store!"

"Please take your time, and take what you need!"

Jun, Yolei, and Momoe blanched as they halted right inside the store. Davis had not moved after moving only a few steps inside; his eyes were affixed to the image of Demiveemon and Poromon standing on the front counter.

Demiveemon happily said, "Hi everyone! Welcome to the Inoue-"

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING OUT HERE?" yelled Davis.

"Mom and dad made them the store's new mascots," said Chizuru with a smile; she was in the aisle adjacent to the four Inoues, currently sorting through a number of candy bars. Plus, since she went to a different school, she had gotten here more quickly. "It was the only way they could keep them out of trouble after this morning."

"…I guess that makes sense," said Momoe.

Yolei stammered, "B-b-but they're Digimon! They can't just be out in public! I mean, sure the whole world knows about them now, but we just can't be careless about how we reveal them!"

_DING_.

Yolei, Davis, Jun, and Momoe froze as a husky man in a gray trench coat walked in. He was over fifty judging by the wrinkles on his face, and his graying hair and large eyeglasses further cemented that image. He wore a gray bowl hat on his head, and his voice was rough. "Pardon me."

Momoe and Yolei gaped as they moved aside for the man to pass; he was Mr. Takenawa, one of the store's most loyal customers. As he walked past the counter…

"Welcome to the Inoue Convenience Store!"

"Please take your time, and take what you need!"

…Demiveemon and Poromon did their chant. Davis and Yolei froze as Mr. Takenawa turned his head to face the In-Training Digimon. As he leaned inward to get a closer look, he frowned. Then he raised both hands. Yolei's face went as white as a sheet. _No…don't hit them!_

"Aw…cute little things," said Mr. Takenawa with a smile as he petted Demiveemon and Poromon on their heads. "Never seen you two little guys before."

"They're the new mascots!" exclaimed Subaru as she walked up to the front counter. "Welcome back Takenawa. Should I ring up your usual?"

"Yes ma'am, that would be nice. I'll just grab my things, pay up, and be on my way." The old man smiled as he petted the two Digimon again. "Such nice little mascots."

Davis and Yolei facefaulted. Jun and Momoe sweatdropped. Yolei grumbled as she got back up. "Gah…no more weirdness for one day! I need to take a shower." With that said, Yolei walked towards the back and up towards the stairs.

Davis just sighed as Demiveemon smiled, oblivious to the fact he had been petted by a non-Digidestined human. "Demiveemon, what am I going to do with you…?"

"For one, you can give me any leftovers from lunch!"

"Sorry pal, no such luck."

"Darn!"

xxxx

/Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 3:34 PM/

Davis grumbled as he walked towards the restroom. "Man…gotta go to the bathroom…"

He twisted the knob and walked inside…and he immediately saw a naked Yolei about to step into the shower.

Davis gaped out of shock. His sense of decency was about to take over his initial male impulse to watch a naked female body – after all, he WAS a hot-blooded male like any others, subject to his own impulses like anyone else - but of course, Yolei was quick to bite.

"_**AAAAIIIIEEE!"**_

Or shriek, in this case. She quickly hopped behind the curtains and roared as she grabbed a shampoo bottle. Yolei the She-Hulk had just come out. **_"EVER HEARD OF KNOCKING?"_** She then threw the shampoo bottle.

Davis yelped as he closed the bathroom door, causing the bottle to clatter harmlessly onto the floor. Davis quickly retorted, "EVER HEARD OF LOCKING THE DOOR?"

The Child of Miracles grimaced as he slumped to the floor, his breathing ragged. He had just seen a naked Yolei. _Oh man…I'm going to be sick…_

In a way, it was sort of his fault; at his old home, the Motomiyas ALWAYS locked the bathroom door when they were using it, so they had never knocked. Apparently, the reverse was true in this household.

Davis felt dizzy. He had seen a **_naked_** girl…he was feeling sick just thinking about it! _Oh geez…my eyes burn! What to do, what to do!_

Then he got an idea.

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 3:48 PM/

Mr. Takenawa quietly placed a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, a box of bran cereal, and three Baby Ruth candy bars on the counter. "And the total once again comes to ten dollars and forty-seven cents?"

"Yes, and that price includes tax. You know us too well Takenawa," replied Subaru as she accepted Takenawa's money. Sasuke, meanwhile, was rummaging through the second cash register, making sure all the money tallied so far was there. "Okay…ones, fives, and tens are good…now about the twenties…"

"Mr. Inoue?"

Sasuke tilted his head to see Davis standing in front of the counter. "Yes? What can I do for you?"

"Do you have any pepper spray?"

Mr. Inoue nodded. They always kept at least two cans under the counters. "Yes. Why?"

"Can I see it real quick?"

Sasuke frowned…then he shrugged. It's not like Davis was going to use it on someone. "Okay." He reached down and pulled out a black can with a red top. He then handed it to Davis, saying, "Just be careful with it."

"Thanks." Davis then pointed the nozzle and sprayed himself in the eyes. **_"AAAAAHHH!"_** Davis' eyes immediately closed as they began tearing. He was temporarily blind…and yet he calmly said, "That's better." He then handed it back to Sasuke. "Thank you."

Sasuke just stared on, open-mouthed out of absolute awe. "…uh……you're welcome…"

Subaru and Takenawa just looked on quietly. Finally, Takenawa asked, "Does that boy have a screw loose?"

"No…he's just being himself," replied Subaru as she watched Davis try to find the door.

_THUNK._

"Ow."

_BONK._

"Gah…"

_CRASH!_

"WAH!"

Subaru winced as Davis walked straight into a pile of boxes, each one filled with bags of chips. …well, we've certainly added an eccentric member to the family…

_DING_.

Subaru turned around to see Mantarou walk in, a smile on his face. "The bed hunt is a success!"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 4: This is a Construction Zone; Please Wear your Hardhats

xxxx

Author's Notes: (smiles slyly) I don't think any words are needed.

See you soon, and please review!


	4. This is a Construction Zone

Standard Disclaimer: You walk through the wasteland…nothing around for miles…and then you come across a sign that says 'I don't own Digimon'…mind if I borrow it?

Author's Notes: Before you all enter this chapter, please put on your hardhats.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 4: This is a Construction Zone; Please Wear your Hardhats

xxxx

/Outside Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 3:54 PM/

Chizuru and Sasuke looked on as Mantarou hopped onto the back of his dark green Toyota pick-up trunk. Currently, he was the only other member of the family – other than the mother and father – that possessed a vehicle. Sasuke and Subaru's car was a gray Hyundai minivan.

Mantarou talked as he began pulling large boxes off. "I got the necessary stuff to build two bunk beds. I also got the two mattresses needed. It'll take us awhile, but we should be able to finish the bunks by tonight."

"Nice job, bro," said Chizuru as she looked at the four boxes – which held the bed parts – and the two white mattresses, which were wrapped tightly in plastic. "So I take it Jun and Momoe will build theirs, while you and Davis build yours?"

Mantarou nodded. "Speaking of Davis, how's the little guy holding up?"

"He's sitting in the corner of the store right now, blind as a bat. He should be fine after about twenty minutes," answered Chizuru.

Mantarou blinked. "Huh? Blind? How?"

Sasuke sighed before saying, "Well…he sprayed himself in the eyes with pepper spray."

Mantarou sweatdropped. "……okay…why?"

His father shrugged. "Who knows?"

xxxx

/Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 4:10 PM/

Yolei sighed as she exited the bathroom, a red bathrobe wrapped around her body. "Ah…what a lovely bath…"

Bath? But she took a shower, didn't she? Yes. She did. She did both. You see, the Japanese CLEANED themselves of any impurities – using a shower, for instance – using soap to cleanse themselves. Then they stepped into the tub to relax, usually for at least ten minutes; usually longer. That was the way they bathed. They also bathed in public, but we're not going into that.

As Yolei stepped into the living room, she saw a few things.

One: both Momoe and Mantarou were walking up the stairs with a mattress in their hands.

Two: there were four boxes in the living room.

Three: Jun was sitting in front of the couch, tending to someone.

Four: The someone was Davis, who laid on the couch with a wet cloth over his eyes.

Yolei blinked out of curiosity. "What the heck happened to him?"

"He blasted his eyes with a dose of pepper spray," replied Jun with a sigh. "That lug head…"

Yolei couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Why would Davis spray his eyes with pepper spray? _He has a knack for getting into trouble, but he isn't a masochist…_

Then it hit her.

Davis had seen her naked.

Then he had sprayed himself with pepper spray, obviously to sear the image of her away with pain.

_So he did it to get rid of the image of me being naked…say, WAIT A MINUTE!_ She suddenly scowled as a flash of anger roared through her. _Is he insinuating…that I look HIDEOUS?_

Strange how people's thought processes work, don't they? Oh well; it makes for good reading material.

Steam figuratively shot out from Yolei's nose as she grabbed a nearby newspaper, rolled it up, and thrust it downward. **_"ARE YOU SAYING I'M UGLY?"_**

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Yolei's wrist.

Davis' hand.

Everyone was too silent to move.

At that moment, Davis used his other hand to peel away his wet cloth. His eyes were red, and they were still narrowed; the last vestiges of his self-inflicted pain. But he could see Yolei clearly.

Then, with a voice fully expressing his annoyance, Davis said, "You know…maybe I AM!" Then he grabbed the newspaper out of Yolei's hand and smacked her in the face with it, sending her backwards.

Everyone was silent as Yolei stumbled backwards, more out of shock than pain. Jun was silent. Momoe was silent. Mantarou flashed a thumbs-up. "Nice one."

Davis smirked as he stood, glaring at Yolei. "Well? Got anything to say to that…'ugly'?"

Yolei's nostrils flared as she roared, "YOU JERK! YOU DON'T CALL LADIES UGLY!"

Davis lightly said, "The only ladies I see in here are Momoe and Jun. You look more like a Deltamon than a 'lady'."

Mantarou smiled; Davis was laying the verbal smack-down on Yolei. Momoe winced; Davis was treading a dangerous path. Jun blinked; since when did Davis consider her a lady?

And sure enough, Yolei confirmed Momoe's fears by howling, "**_WHAT?_** I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU EAT YOUR WORDS!"

Davis smirked as he dropped the newspaper, motioning for Yolei to come towards him. He was feeling better already; now it was time for a role-reversal. "Well? You going to follow up or not…'ugly'?"

Yolei roared as she charged.

Davis blinked out of momentary surprise; even though he knew Yolei would get upset if he insulted her – like she sometimes did to him – he wouldn't have guessed her to charge at him, as if wanting to fight. After all, HE never fought her. _Heh…doesn't matter. If she wants a fight_, thought Davis as he clenched his fists. _Then I'll give her one!_

Yolei's arm stretched forward, nails ready to slash.

Davis' arm stretched forward, fist ready to punch.

Jun and Momoe gaped as they stood, preparing to intervene. Mantarou just watched on, wishing he had some popcorn.

Then, two hands grasped Davis' and Yolei's outstretched arms at the wrists.

Next, the two were flipped over and onto the floor, their backs slamming into the carpet.

Then, the owner of the two hands released them. It was Chizuru, who had come upstairs just as the shouting contest had begun. She had chosen now to intervene.

Davis grimaced as he sat up. "Ow…that hurt…"

Chizuru sighed. "Boy. You two sure know how to shout."

Yolei stammered, "B-but…he-"

"Acted like an idiot. And so did you, sis," interrupted Chizuru. Her eyes had a surprisingly mature quality to them…and she was glaring silently at both Davis and Yolei. "Now stop screwing around. Both of you. Davis, YOU have a bunk bed to make. As for you Yolei…go help Jun and Momoe for the heck of it."

"Hey!" protested Yolei as she stood up. "It's not my-"

"DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR, SISTER?" said Chizuru with a stern tone. Yolei grimaced under her older sister's gaze…and then her shoulders slackened. Chizuru then turned around for the stairs. "Now if you don't mind, I've got to get back to work."

Davis and Jun blinked as Chizuru walked back downstairs to the store. Yolei was absolutely silent. Mantarou was in the kitchen, getting some popcorn. Momoe smiled lightly as she said, "Well…that was a close one."

"Mind telling me what the heck that was about?" muttered Davis, stunned by what had just happened.

"Chizuru just happens to take TaeKwonDo," answered Momoe. "She's actually sort of the mediator in the house when mom and dad are busy working. It's sort of nifty when one of us gets into a scuffle."

Jun then asked, "What about when SHE gets into a scuffle?"

"We don't know. I can't recall the last time she got into an argument with us," replied Mantarou with a shrug. He then got up and grabbed Davis by the arm. "Well? Time to get to work."

Jun and Momoe also grabbed Yolei's arms. "You too."

Davis and Yolei could only sigh.

xxxx

/Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 4:30 PM/

"Dang it…"

Mantarou sighed as he finished unpacking the last box. Neat piles of wood were laid on the floor, and white sheets were sitting in a corner of the room, neatly folded together. A small metal box with the necessary nails and screws was sitting beside Davis, who was holding staring down at a hammer and a number of screwdrivers silently. Mantarou glanced back at Davis and said, "What's eating you?"

"It's just Yolei…she always acts so high and mighty to me."

"She has a tendency to do that if someone's done something she doesn't like."

Davis snorted. "Geez…and all I did was stumble upon her while she was getting in the shower. She should've locked the friggin' door!"

Realization hit Mantarou. "OH…well, that explains why you doused your eyes with pepper spray." As he thought about it some more, the eldest Inoue began laughing.

"What's so funny?" asked Davis with a fierce stare.

Mantarou stopped chuckling as he looked at the blueprints for the bunk bed. "Oh, just thinking about how life's going to be now."

Davis snorted again as he fingered one of the screwdrivers. "Whatever…besides, you don't seem like a decent guy anyway. Especially if you were going to just let me hit your sister."

"You'd be surprised," replied Mantarou as he continued to study the plans. "Yolei can be quite…'aggressive'. I'm sure you know that by now."

Davis grumbled.

"But hey, you can't blame her for that. She was the youngest child growing up in a family where the age gap from youngest to oldest is only six years."

"But still!" protested Davis. "It's like she goes out of her way to get me! What the heck did I ever do to her?"

Mantarou calmly said, "You must've acted like a jerk at one point in time. She has a thing against people like that."

"Yeah? Well how would YOU know?" snapped Davis.

"Because…" Mantarou looked away from the plans, gazing right into Davis' eyes. "I happened to be a bit of a jerk myself when Yolei was growing up."

Davis was silent under Mantarou's gaze. "…"

Mantarou immediately smiled. "Enough reminiscing though! Time to work…so hand me that hammer!"

xxxx

/Momoe and Chizuru's Room, Inoue Apartment, 5:02 PM/

_Bang._

Momoe, Jun, and Yolei were silent as they went to work on constructing the bunk bed. Yolei was hammering in the nails to the bottom frame, as that part had been completed already. Jun and Momoe were busy working on one of the four posts that connected the top and bottom bunks.

_Bang._

All three girls were sweating already; Momoe strained her head to looked at the plans once again.

_BANG._

Both Momoe and Jun blinked.

_BANG._

Yolei was hitting harder with the hammer.

_BANG._

Momoe frowned as she muttered, "Uh…Yolei?"

"**WHAT?"** yelled Yolei as she swung her hammer again-

_SLAM._

"**_AAAAAAAAAOOOOOWWWW!"_** yelped the Child of Caring as she dropped the hammer, clutching her thumb gingerly.

"Sis, you should really pay attention," said Momoe with a sigh.

Yolei grimaced as she sucked on her thumb for a few minutes. _Man, Mantarou should've gone for the pre-made metal bunk beds…_

Jun suddenly giggled.

Yolei sighed as she retrieved her thumb and asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing…just thinking of how much you looked like Davis right then," replied Jun with a smile.

Yolei suddenly scowled. "Gee. How wonderful."

Jun frowned as she sat down in front of Yolei. "Yolei…why do you always act like you hate Davis so much?"

"He's a jerk! Do I have to be any more specific?" Yolei snorted as she had a flashback to earlier. "Besides…HE SAW ME **_NAKED_**! AND THEN HE INSINUATED THAT I'M **_UGLY_**! AND THEN HE WOULD'VE **_HIT_** ME IF CHIZURU DIDN'T INTERFERE! AND YOU'RE ASKING **_WHY_**?"

"Ssh! There are people upstairs you know," sternly muttered Momoe.

Jun, meanwhile, didn't say a thing.

She only smiled.

Yolei, on the other hand, was honestly bewildered. She would've expected Jun to become defensive if Davis had been spoken of like that…so why not? "Why aren't you angry at me for talking about your brother like that?"

Jun continued to smile.

Then, she finally said, "Because we're all siblings here. It's nothing more than a sibling rivalry."

Yolei facefaulted. "DON'T JOKE!"

"She's serious Yolei," replied Momoe.

"I am," said Jun, her face still etched into a smile. "Because you act like Davis would act to me…and vice-versa. Even though we both care for each other, we're not very good at showing it to each other. If it were someone else, we wouldn't have a problem…but seeing that we're siblings, we naturally don't want to admit our weaknesses to each other."

Yolei was silent as she stared wide-eyed at the smiling Jun.

Jun smiled even wider. "I know you both care for each other as friends…you both just have a strange way of expressing it."

…_wow_. Yolei couldn't respond in the face of Jun's words…because she was absolutely, positively…correct. Davis was her friend…but they just rubbed each other too much in the wrong way…like regular siblings. "…how…?"

Jun simply kept her smile. "Because I know exactly what you're going through. Isn't that right…'little sister'?"

In response to this…Yolei couldn't help but grin. "Yeah…I guess you're right. But enough talk!" She immediately grabbed her hammer again. "We've got a bunk bed to make!"

_SLAM._

"_**AAAAAAOOOWWW!"**_

Momoe sweatdropped. "Yolei…"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 5:11 PM/

"Did Yolei just scream?" asked Davis.

"Probably," replied Mantarou.

"Should we be worried?"

"Nah."

"My thoughts exactly." Davis grinned as he and Mantarou continued to work. Moments later, Davis glanced over at the blueprints and frowned. "Okay…now we need 'screw G4'…" Davis then glanced down into the pile of nails and screws around him. "Where is it…?"

Mantaoru sighed as Davis began rummaging through the pile. "I TOLD you to keep it all separate."

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 7:00 PM/

Demiveemon sighed as he sat down on the counter. "Boy…I'm pooped!"

"Oh, come on! All we did all day was stand here and say two lines!" protested Poromon. Night had now fallen on Odaiba…the bright light of the store served as a stark contrast to the darkness of the outside night.

Demiveemon sighed. "I know…but look at all of this food!" It was almost like torture; the stomachs of Digimon practically had unlimited space…especially Digimon of the In-Training and Rookie levels.

Poromon was silent.

Then he smiled.

"You have an idea?" asked Demiveemon, whose eyes had just caught Poromon's.

"You bet."

xxxx

/Momoe and Chizuru's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 8:10 PM/

Dinner had been finished thirty minutes ago…and this time, there had been no food fight, no thanks to Torture-Cola (now available in a Wal-Mart near you). The work on the bunk bed had continued again…and this time, Chizuru was helping out.

Momoe sighed as she stepped back. "Well…it's finished."

"It looks sort of rickety though," protested Yolei.

"As long as no one jumps on it, it'll be fine," reassured Jun.

Yolei wasn't convinced. "Eh, I'm just going to get one more nail in there. I'll be right back."

Chizuru suddenly grabbed her wrist. "No."

"Huh? Why?" asked Yolei.

Chizuru's voice had a tone of sarcasm and non-emotion; just like usual. "Because the blueprints don't say there should be another nail in there. Besides, if you so much as add another nail to it, the whole thing will fall apart. Don't you know what happens in cartoons?"

Yolei blinked as she thought about it. "Oh yeah…good point."

"Well, now there's only one thing left to do…" said Momoe with a smile.

Jun grinned. "Yep…PAINT!"

xxxx

/Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:20 PM/

Mantarou and Davis both sighed as they looked at their work; the entire bunk bed – save for the mattresses of course – was painted pitch-black. Davis smiled goofily. "We're done!"

"I'm just surprised we didn't get paint on anything," said Mantarou.

Davis stared at him incredulously. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Look at ourselves!" True enough, both of the boys were smothered in black paint. Apparently, 'anything' didn't apply to humans.

Mantarou shrugged. "I'm talking about the house."

"Oh." Davis sighed as he finger the paint on his arms. "Man, I feel filthy."

"That's what showers are for!" exclaimed Mantarou with a grin. "Besides, we have to wait until the paint dries until we can put the mattresses and sheets on anyway."

Davis nodded. "True…"

"To the bathroom!" exclaimed Mantarou dramatically, his finger pointed toward the hallway.

Davis sweatdropped. "…can we just go? I'm tired."

"Okay."

As both boys entered the hallway, their eyes caught four females on the opposite end.

Jun. Momoe. Yolei. Chizuru.

All of them had dark green paint on them; a side effect of painting Jun and Momoe's bunk bed.

And the bathroom was right in the center between them.

Silence. You could hear a tumbleweed rolling across the floor, like in the Old Western standoffs…

"What's a tumbleweed doing in our house?" asked Chizuru as she watched it roll out of the hallway and into the living room.

_(Just ignore it.)_

At that moment, both parties made a break for the bathroom. Mantarou grimaced as the four females rushed head-on towards them. "Oh great, we're not going to make it in time!"

Davis frowned…and then inspiration hit him. "I've got an idea!" He immediately reached into his pocket and pulled out his blue D-3. "HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!"

The four females skidded to a halt as a golden glow overwhelmed them. When the glow faded, Davis could be seen in front of them…except he was now covered in a golden armor. It looked exactly like Magnamon's armor…except it had some differences. Unlike Magnamon, it covered his entire body, with the exception of his face. Thick, blocky armor covered his feet, and golden plates of shimmering metal covered his legs, with a 'V' shaped protrusion sticking out the top of the shin guards. His entire upper body was covered by a singular piece of golden armor, and the Crest of Miracles was emblazoned on the chest. Segmented plates of golden steel covered his arms; golden gloves enwrapped his hands, with golden studs covering the knuckles. Large, pointed shoulder pads had thrusters sticking out of the bottom; similar pieces of armor encircled his waist, much like they did with Magnamon. Finally, his helmet had 'V' shaped prongs sticking upward; unlike Magnamon, however, Davis did not have a mask that covered his face.

This was the Armor of Miracles: one of the four Holy Armors that had proven to be an invaluable asset in the Digidestined's battles. Davis grinned as he looked down at the four dumbstruck females.

Then Yolei protested, "No fair! That's cheating!"

"Since when?" countered Davis.

"I'm in!" shouted Mantarou from the bathroom. As he closed the door, Davis flashed a thumbs-up to the girls. In a flash of golden light, his armor disappeared. "Guys win again!"

Poor Davis. He should've known not to get between a girl and her personal hygiene. The four females shot the Child of Miracles a sadistic glare…and that's when Davis realized something bad.

He was outmatched here. _…oh boy_.

"**YAR!"** roared Jun and Momoe as they pinned Davis down by the shoulders. Chizuru grabbed both legs (hey, she has to get involved every once in a while. ;P ). Yolei cracked her knuckles as she said, "So…what shall we do with him?"

Jun glanced down at Davis. Then she smiled. "Well, his belly and armpits have always been ticklish…"

Davis' mouth dropped down out of sheer horror. **"YOU WOULDN'T."**

All four females grinned as Yolei said, "We WOULD…and we WILL!" Yolei's arm roared downwards…and stopped inches above his belly.

Then she began tickling him.

Uncontrolled laughs began escaping Davis' mouth. Momoe and Jun giggled as they began tickling his armpits, causing him to spasm like mad. "AGH-HAH! PLEASE-HEE HEE-STOP-HA HA!"

Chizuru grimaced as she tried to keep his legs under control. _Man, he's got some muscle._

At this point in time, Sasuke poked his head into the hall. He arched an eyebrow as he watched the four females mob Davis Inoue. _…hmm. That boy must have a way with women; he's already formed his own harem_. Shrugging, Sasuke walked away.

…I think we'll just skip ahead in time.

xxxx

/Jun, Momoe, and Chizuru's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 11:13 PM/

Well, now that the bunk bed was complete, Jun can now be included in the room name! JOYOUS CELEBRATION!

…er, never mind.

Jun sighed as she got into the bottom bunk. She was completely paint-free, as were the other girls. "I wanted the top bunk…"

"You lost at Ro-Sham-Bo. Sorry Jun," muttered Chizuru as she got into her bed.

Momoe smiled as she snuggled under the covers of the top bed. "Besides, be happy! Now we ALL have a place to sleep!"

Jun smiled. "True."

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 11:20 PM/

Davis grimaced as he yawned. "Man…I feel sore."

"That's what happens when girls tickle you for about twenty minutes," answered Mantarou. He had gotten the top bunk, while Davis had gotten the bottom bunk.

Davis snorted. "Don't remind me."

"Can I?" asked Demiveemon with a grin. He sat on top of Davis' head.

"No."

"Aw…"

Silence.

Finally, Mantarou said, "That was a nifty trick you pulled back there."

Davis nodded. "Perks of being a Digidestined!"

"Does Yolei have an armor like that?"

Davis grinned cockily. "Nope. Only three others have them!" Two of those three had been TK – who wielded the Armor of Hope – and Kari, who wielded the Armor of Light. As for the third…his name had been Shaun, a Digidestined that had traveled back in time to avert a terrible crisis by destroying a Dark Digimon called Demon. Using his Armor of Wisdom, he had almost succeeded…until Demon had been absorbed by a Digimon called Myotismon. Shaun had then died at the hands of BelialMyotismon. Davis stifled a tear; dwelling on the past wasn't going to help him now.

"Heh…sounds nifty. Just be careful where you use it though…some people might get suspicious," cautiously warned Mantarou.

Davis snorted. "I know that."

Mantarou chuckled. "Sure…I just felt like reminding you. After all, big brothers do that…right 'little brother'?"

Davis was silent. Then, with a calm, stern voice, he said, "I'm…I'm not ready for that yet…just call me Davis."

"…okay. I understand. Good night Davis," said Mantarou before going to sleep.

Davis smiled lightly as he turned around to face the wall. Maybe Mantarou had more 'friend' material than he had initially thought.

Silence pervaded through the Inoue residence.

Then…

_Creak…_

_Creak._

_CRACK._

_**CRASH!**_

"AAAAAAAHH!" screamed Davis and Jun.

Moments later, a frustrated Yolei – wearing an extra-large red T-shirt for her pajamas – stampeded out of her room. _I KNEW Mantarou should've gotten metal bunk beds! I KNEW IT!_ At the same time, Poromon snuck out.

She opened the first door to her left. Inside was the boys' room…and the bunk bed was now a mass of broken wood, and Mantarou was seen lifting the top mattress to get at Davis underneath, who was more stunned than hurt. The eldest Inoue child grumbled, "I KNEW I should've gotten the metal kind…"

That made Yolei facefault.

And all the while, no one saw Demiveemon sneak out between Yolei's legs.

Both In-Training Digimon immediately tiptoed into the living room: they had plans of their own for tonight.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 5: Operation Snack Attack

xxxx

Author's Notes: Any guesses as to what Poromon and Demiveemon have in mind? ;)

See you soon, and please review!


	5. Operation Snack Attack

Standard Disclaimer: Pass the ketchup. I do not own Digimon! (munch) Mmm…sandwichy…

Author's Notes: Only four chapters, and I've already gotten more reviews than NDE ever got. Dang.

Heh. An author is ALWAYS his own worst critic…I felt that the last chapter was rather iffy IMHO…I thought it wouldn't be that well received. Geez…am I too harsh? Ah well…

Oh, I have to reply to a review from Zero 2 – not because the particular reviewer is more special or anything – because of a subject he brought up that I have to clarify.

ReaverOfFate: Time paradox, eh? Well here's how I look at it: imagine a piece of paper the size of the universe (and any other universes beyond our own). At the very beginning of that paper is a dot. It represents the beginning of time. Almost immediately, numerous lines branch off from the dot. All of those lines represent different timelines, where different things happen. As time continues to advance, more and more of these timelines grow 'branches' that represent new timelines. Every single possibility of an event happens; as for which one occurs, it depends on what timeline you're in (for instance, in one timeline Einstein might've been or dunderhead instead of a genius; in a different one, he might've founded the NFL, and so on).

Take Shaun for example. In his original timeline, he freed Demon, who then proceeded to kill all of the Odaiba Digidestined. Shaun wants to change this. He uses Gennai's time machine to travel back in time. However, the MOMENT he emerges in the past, a NEW timeline is created, because he WASN'T THERE originally. But now that he IS there, the only thing that can be done to compensate is for the creation of a new timeline to occur. You could say the original Season 02 was the timeline Shaun came from…but the new timeline he inadvertently created is the Zero 2 timeline. Which brings me to my main point; if you all think all that changed in the future was that the Digidestined would still survive, you're wrong. ALL of my stories from this point on (this one included) were not part of the original timeline. Shaun's return to the past, however, wrought these changes. Hope that clarifies some things.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 5: Operation Snack Attack!

xxxx

/Living Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 11:30 PM/

Sasuke scratched his head lazily as Subaru glanced at Davis, Jun, and Mantarou. The former Motomiyas both sat on the couch, while Mantarou stood. The other three Inoue girls – Yolei, Momoe, and Chizuru – were already asleep after the initial ruckus. Subaru calmly said, "So the bunk beds just fell apart?"

Mantarou nodded.

"And why did you buy the rickety wooden set?" asked Mrs. Inoue.

Mantarou casually shrugged. "Guy I bought the frames from said the metal frames were too unreliable. Told me to get the wooden ones."

"Was he wearing a red suit?" asked Sasuke.

Mantarou nodded.

Subaru's frowned went lower. "And did he happen to have a silly black bow tie and a golden molar?"

Mantarou nodded again.

Sasuke and Subaru both sweatdropped. "I knew it…Winston," muttered Sasuke.

Both Davis and Jun were clueless. Mantarou, however, suddenly looked flabbergasted. "You mean…HIM? Oh man, he said his name was WESton! GAH!"

"Who the heck is Winston?" asked Davis.

Subaru grimaced as she rubbed her temples. She wore red pajamas, whilst Sasuke wore dark blue pajamas. "Winston…you could say he's the king of con artists," said Subaru with a distasteful tone. "He's a master at misleading the consumers and then swindling them…"

"You sound like you know him," interjected Jun.

Sasuke grumbled, "Yeah. He came into town about two years ago. He thrives on taking business away from the other stores in the area. He always switches his pitch though; one day he might be selling fake fruit, and the next he'll be selling rickety bed frames."

Mantarou's head sagged in response to that comment. "Man…should've gone to the furniture store. But his deal looked, well…PERFECT!"

"He has a knack for doing that," muttered Subaru. She had a particular distaste for salesmen like Winston; they solicited in front of established stores and took customers away, only to swindle them.

"Well, no use worrying about it now," said Jun. "Davis and I will just sleep in the living room until this mess is cleared up tomorrow."

Mantarou looked at them and asked, "You sure about this? Momoe and I could easily sleep in here again."

"No thanks. Momoe's already asleep, and you've already done it once. Davis and I don't mind. Right?"

"…"

"Right?"

"…"

"RIGHT?"

"…zzz…"

Jun glanced over at Davis…and found that he had fallen asleep already. _Heh…how cute._

Sasuke yawned as he stretched his limbs. "Well, it's too late to say anymore. We'll just head to sleep now. Tomorrow, Mantarou will get new bunk beds…and they'll be METAL. Right?"

"Right," annoyingly replied Mantarou as both of his parents nudged him in the side. As the three left the living room, Subaru turned off the lights.

Jun sighed as she got in the chair; since Davis had already fallen asleep on the couch, it was out of the question. _Oh well…the chair can't be that bad._

Five minutes later, she discovered that the chair wasn't ideal for sleeping. _Oh well. I'll manage._

After one minute passed, she finally managed to fall asleep.

Silence.

Cue the troublemakers!

"Are they asleep?"

"Ssh. Quiet Demiveemon."

"Sorry."

The two In-Trainings quietly tiptoed around…well, Poromon actually flew…so it was only Demiveemon that tiptoed…never mind, I'm rambling again. Moving on!

Poromon glanced down at an air conditioning vent cover in the floor. "Perfect." He turned around and flew off for the kitchen.

Demiveemon frowned. "Darn…I want to help."

Poromon flew back moments later, a screwdriver in his beak. He spat it out on the floor and whispered, "Okay. Unscrew the screws."

Demiveemon held the screwdriver awkwardly in his tiny hands, but he managed to insert it right into the screw's grooves. After a minute of turning it, he managed to pull it out. "Yay!"

"Ssh."

"Sorry."

"Okay. Three more to go."

Four minutes later, the last three screws were lying on the floor beside the first one. "Now what?"

Poromon wedged his beak into the crack between the vent lid. With one thrust, he pushed the vent cover away. Since they were In-Trainings, they were small enough to fit. "Okay. Down the hatch!" Poromon hopped down into the vent, using his wings to slow his fall.

Demiveemon looked down. Then he shrugged. "Okay." He happily jumped up, silently yelling (is that even possible?), "Banzai!" Davis' partner then jumped down.

_THUMP._

"Ow…"

"Sorry Poromon."

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 11:50 PM/

_Thump._

A dull metallic thump echoed through the still air of the convenience store.

_Thump. Thump._

It sounded eerie…and strangely chilling in the silence of night. Something was about to break out.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

The air conditioning vent in the ceiling suddenly burst open; both Demiveemon and Poromon fell down, landing in a heap on the floor.

Poromon grimaced as he shook himself off. "Ow…should've gone second."

"So you've done this before?" asked Demiveemon.

Poromon nodded. "Only once…I had to be careful though; Yolei's mom and dad were wondering why part of their inventory was missing. Now here's the deal; we just can't take everything from one spot. We have to spread it out, or else the others will get really suspicious. Got that?"

No answer.

"Hello?"

Still no answer.

Poromon angrily turned around, only to find Demiveemon walking around in a daze. "It's like heaven…without any lights…"

Poromon facefaulted. With a grimace on his face, the Digimon said, "Eh…he'll be fine." With that said, Poromon grabbed the nearest bag of chips and ripped it open with his beak. "Mmm…sour cream n' onion!"

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, Friday, November 5th, 12:04 AM/

Demiveemon sighed blissfully as he sucked on a grape lollipop. "Mmm…grape…"

This was the life. So many snacks, so much candy…no wonder Yolei had always brought so many snacks! This place was a treasure trove! And now they lived here… "Ah…this is the life."

_Crunch._

After chewing off the rest of the lollipop, Demiveemon moved away from the pile of candy bar and lollipop wrappers – which stood at one foot tall – to look for a new source of sustenance.

Then a yellow package caught his eye. The image of brown belly was on it, and it said in bold white letters, 'Yummy Wummy Chocolate Tummies'.

"Hmm…those sound good…" Demiveemon immediately grabbed a package and ripped it open, revealing chocolates fashioned into the shape of human bellies, belly buttons and all. He chomped into one…and smiled. There was a gooey red center inside it. "Mmm…gooey…"

As Demiveemon tore into the chocolates, he missed the large warning label on the side.

'WARNING: EXTREME SUGAR CONTAINS DOSE. DO NOT CHILDREN FEED'

And no, that's not a typo. Ever heard of Engrish?

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 12:12 AM/

Poromon sighed as he ate the last of a chocolate bar. He had eaten a well-balanced snack of chips, chocolate, and candy. "Mmm…exquisite!"

He then frowned. He hadn't heard from Demiveemon in a while. _He must be several aisles over… _"Oh, I'm worrying too much. He's fine…"

"_**WAHOO!"**_

Poromon yelped as Demiveemon suddenly charged through the aisle, his eyes wide with energy and excitement. "What the?"

**_"YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYSOMUCHCHOCOLATESOMUCHSUGARIFEELFUNNYBUTITFEELSSOGOODWOOWOOWOOWOOIFEELGREATWAHOOYOUSHOULDTRYEATINGTUMMIESPOROMONOOHLOOKSODA!"_**

Demiveemon yelled all of that in the two seconds it took him to traverse the aisle to the freezers that held the drinks. Poromon sweatdropped out of utter confusion. "…huh…?"

Then he realized it.

Sugar rush. "Oh boy…"

Demiveemon wedged his tiny hand into the crack at the bottom of the freezer door, wedging it open. He immediately jumped inside, grabbed a plastic 20-oz. Bottle of Pepsi, and began shaking. **_"FIZZYFIZZYFIZZYWAHOOIWANTTOMAKEITSPARKLE!"_**

"Demiveemon! What the heck are you doing?" exclaimed Poromon.

After most of the liquid became fizz, Demiveemon opened it.

_CHOOM!_

The bottle cap went flying towards the front windows… slammed into one of the two glass doors…and flew straight through it. Cracks splintered off from the hole in a web-like pattern. The pressure within the bottle sent it flying backwards into the freezer rack, causing a large number of soda bottles to fall. Pressure built up within them as well…and the bottle caps exploded outward, flying about and ricocheting throughout the store, knocking items off of their positions on the racks. Soda leaked onto the floor, staining it in a myriad of colors.

In a matter of seconds, everything had gone from calm to utter disaster.

Then, alarms began blaring.

Poromon was open-mouthed out of utter shock.

Demiveemon was silent.

Then he smiled. **_"OOHOOHOOHLOOKYLOOKYSHINYGLASSISITCANDYIWANNATOUCH!"_**

Poromon immediately facefaulted before roaring, "YOU IDIOT!"

Then a sound echoed in from outside.

Poromon froze. Police sirens. _…oh…perfect…_

Demiveemon, meanwhile, was licking the soda off the floor.

xxxx

/Living Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 12:16 AM/

Davis and Jun immediately got to their feet at the sound of the alarms.

Jun yelled, "What the?"

Davis muttered, "Who what where when why how wha?"

At that moment, six figures came walking into the living room and towards the door.

Sasuke. Subaru. Chizuru. Mantarou. Momoe. Yolei.

With the exception of Chizuru – who knew TaeKwonDo – they all carried baseball bats.

"Kids. Behind me," said Sasuke as he unlocked the door that led to the stairs.

"Hey, what gives?" asked Davis.

"Standard procedure," calmly answered Chizuru. "If the alarm goes off, we wake up, we go in, and we beat up the intruders. Simple."

Davis sweatdropped in response. "Okay…"

Nevertheless, both Jun and Davis followed the other Inoues down the stairs.

xxxx

/Outside Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 12:17 AM/

Two police cars sat outside the convenience store in silence. Out of the cars came four men.

Three of them were black-haired Junsas; rookie policemen of the Odaiba Police Department.

And the last one was a Junsa-bucho: a police sergeant. His face was tanned, but it was lined with small wrinkles around the eyes and the cheeks. His blue eyes, however, were still keen and focused. In his hands was a Winchester Model 9417 Legacy rifle; an import from America, and his weapon of personal choice. In his belt holster was a black pistol, and clipped to the opposite side of his belt was a strange weapon that looked like a blue boomerang that had had its prongs bent inward. It was the energy rifle; during the Odaiba War, a group of Digimon calling themselves the Forbidden City militia had come to the Real World to help the humans drive back the Dark Digimon under the command of Demon, UmbraDevimon, and the Gravemon. Ackerson had been given a weapon to use…and its battery had still yet to deplete. However it was made, it had a lot of juice left in it.

Ackerson sighed as he walked towards the closed store. Even though it was only several feet away, he felt like he was walking in slow motion. He always felt that way now.

After the Odaiba War had ended, Ackerson had felt…strange. He didn't know why…he just did. That's why he had asked Inspector Macarthur to let him work on the late, late shift; so he could work in the calm of night. It soothed him, in a way.

Of course, it hadn't explained why he had begun feeling so strange in the first place.

Ackerson remained quiet as one of the Junsas quickly glanced at the hole in the door. The Junsa then used his boot-covered foot to create a bigger hole. This way, he could reach inside and unlock the doors.

The four policemen moved inside. Ackerson held his Legacy rifle silently while the three Junsas searched for the lights…and for the potential burglars.

_Click_.

The white lights of the convenience store flickered on. The three Junsas held their pistols tightly as they searched. Ackerson remained at the front doors. "Don't fire on anything without my permission otherwise."

Then…

"Sir! Look!"

The other three moved toward the Junsa that had shouted out. He was currently standing in one of the aisles, pistol aimed at two small creatures that were stock-still with terror…well, the pink, feathery one was; the blue one was digging into a bag of cheddar chips.

Ackerson suddenly frowned as he stared at the creatures. _Digimon…_

He suddenly had an answer for his strange feelings: the Digimon. Digimon had been the ones responsible for starting the Odaiba War. Digimon had been responsible for all of the destruction. Digimon had been responsible for all of the deaths. Even the Digimon that had been part of the Forbidden City – those that had helped humanity ward off the invaders – were now living in the Real World. They were aliens…and they were consumers of Earth's resources…Earth belonged under the dominion of man, NOT creatures of data!

Ackerson forced himself to calm down. He was being too harsh; even though most of the Digimon he had encountered thus far had been bad, there were good apples in the bunch; the same applied to humanity. _Calm down old man…don't let emotions interfere with your job._ Having regained his composure, he looked down at the two In-Trainings. "Mind telling me why you broke into this convenience store?"

Poromon gulped. "Well…technically we didn't break in…we were uh…just coming down for a midnight snack?"

Ackerson didn't buy it.

One of the Junsas scoffed. "Let's just shoot them now. Saves us trouble in the long run."

"No, don't! The sergeant told us not to fire!" exclaimed another Junsa.

The third one was busy trying to pry Demiveemon out of the bag of chips. "Rrr…get out of there, you little rascal…!"

_Ka-chik._

That was the sound of a key opening a lock. The four policemen turned to see the entire Inoue family come out through the back door.

Sasuke blinked. "Uh…hi officers." At the mention of that word, Subaru, Momoe, and Yolei lowered their baseball bats.

Ackerson sighed as he said, "We were nearby. Got wind of the alarm…and we found these two rummaging through your wares." One of the Junsas held up Poromon, while the other tried to hold the sugar-happy Demiveemon in place.

Yolei's eyes narrowed. "Poromon…"

Poromon sweatdropped; a result of the weight behind Yolei's withering glare. "Heh heh…hi."

Yolei stomped over and snatched Poromon out of the Junsa's hands. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING DOWN HERE? AND HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET DOWN HERE ANYWAY?"

"I think that would be the answer," said Chizuru pointed up at the open vent.

Poromon gulped as he nervously said, "Well…uh…"

Demiveemon suddenly wriggled out of the two Junsas' grasp and ran around in circles happily. **_"YIPPEEYIPPEEYIPPEEWECAMEDOWNTOEATANDDRINKANDNOWWE'REFULLANDIFEELFUNNYFUNFUNWAHOOLOOKATMELOOKATMEICANRUNFASTERTHANSONOCOMONYAHOOI'MFLYING!"_** Demiveemon then rushed through the legs of the Inoues and up the stairs towards the apartment.

Everyone sweatdropped. Jun then commented, "Wow. That's one big sugar rush."

"GAH! He'll probably raid the kitchen!" yelped Mantarou and Momoe as the two ran upstairs. Chizuru sighed as she started walking up. "Well, better go help out. It'll take more than two to stop him."

Subaru harshly glared at Poromon, who remained silent in Yolei's grip. Then she snatched Poromon away. "Time to prepare another batch of 'Torture-Cola' for the two troublemakers.:

"NO! HAVE MERCY!" squealed Poromon as Subaru dragged her upstairs. This left Sasuke, Yolei, Jun, and Davis to speak to the policemen.

Ackerson sighed. "Are you sure you want them to stay here? We'll be glad to take them down to the station."

"No. They're getting punished," replied Yolei.

"And you don't have to worry about the door. Insurance will take care of that," interjected Sasuke.

One of the Junsa's whispered, "God, you idiots…"

Jun's ears twitched. "I HEARD that."

The Junsa shrugged. "I'm just saying…" With an angry huff, Jun whirled around and walked upstairs, muttering something impolite about the indignant Junsa.

"Look…are you sure you want them to stay?" asked Ackerson. "Keeping them around might not be a good idea…"

"Sir."

Ackerson blinked as Davis walked up to him, staring into his blue eyes with brown eyes that seemed surprisingly mature for his age. "They may cause some problems…but we'll handle it. They're our friends…and they aren't perfect: no one is. So please…just go. We'll be fine."

Ackerson was silent. _Those eyes…_ For a twelve-year-old, those brown eyes were surprisingly deep. They carried determination and courage on the surface…but Ackerson could detect hints of sadness…and deeper within, anguish. _So young to have experienced so much to make his eyes like that…it's sad…_

Finally, he relented. "Fine. Men. Let's go…we're done here." With that said, the four policemen left. Moments later, the two police cars drove off into the night.

Yolei sighed as she stared at the mess caused by the two Digimon. "Man…what a mess…"

"Who's going to clean it up?" asked Davis to no one in particular.

Then, Sasuke handed two mops to them. "You two of course."

Davis and Yolei blanched. "But…WHY?"

"Those two partners of yours caused this mess. They can't clean it up themselves – seeing as to how tiny they are – so they're getting Torture-Cola as punishment. So to fill in, you two will have to clean this mess up," said Sasuke.

Davis and Yolei paled. They simultaneously mumbled, "Bu-bu-bu-but-but!"

"No buts! Get to work Chore-Boy! You too Chore-Girl!" With that said, Sasuke walked around and went back upstairs, leaving Davis and Yolei alone.

The Child of Miracles and the Child of Caring turned around and gazed at the mess. Soda covered an entire aisle. Glass shards littered the floor around the front door. Bags and wrappers adorned numerous areas in the store. Fallen items and bottle caps littered the entire area.

Both of them – still wearing their pajamas – let their heads sag as they sighed out of tired aggravation.

"I'll get this side…" listlessly muttered Davis as he held his mop and walked toward the front of the store.

"Fine. I'll take this one," dully murmured Yolei as she immediately began picking up wrappers around her feet.

Oh well. At least they were suffering together.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 6: Costume Contest (Part 1)

xxxx

Author's Notes: Yar…the stomach of a Digimon knows no limits!

And for those of you reading FFX-3…the hiatus is over… ;)

See you soon, and please review!


	6. Costume Contest: Part 1

Standard Disclaimer: Gentlemen…I AM HUNGRY! Get me a lawsuit!

Author's Notes: Was there a point to the above disclaimer? Noop.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 6: Costume Contest (Part 1)

xxxx

/Homeroom, Odaiba School, Odaiba, Friday, November 5th, 7:58 AM/

"…yaaaaagh…" dully yawned Davis. However, his mouth was wide enough to swallow an Elecmon.

"Geez. You sure seem out of it," muttered TK, who sat two seats away.

Davis slowly nodded. "Yeah…worked late last night cleaning up the store."

Kari blinked out of curiosity. "Really? Why?"

"Gah…" The newest male addition to the Inoue family scratched his head lazily. "Demiveemon and Poromon raided the freakin' store last night…I had to clean up the joint with Yolei…" _Well, at least she has the same problem I have…_ That was one small condolence; at least Yolei was having some difficulty staying awake right now.

"Owch. When'd you finally go to sleep?" asked TK out of slight concern; after all, lack of sleep was never good for a student.

Davis grumbled as he sloppily pulled open his math book and put it in front of his face. "4 AM…God I feel tired…"

"WHAT?" yelped Kari, barely managing to keep her voice down. "_4 AM?_" That wasn't good. Whenever Davis stood up later than 3 AM…he ALWAYS got detention. It was a simple fact that Kari had managed to keep track of in the years she had known Davis.

_RRRRIIINGG!_

_Uh oh_, thought Kari with a grimace as Mrs. Hakashi walked in the door.

"Good morning class. Time for roll call," authoritatively said Mrs. Hakashi as she scanned her checklist. "Aki Araki."

"Here."

"Taishi Asakura."

"Here."

"Ai Azuna."

"Present."

"Aino Benika."

"Present."

"Mao Chikato."

"Here."

"Daichi Etsuya."

"Yo."

Mrs. Hakashi frowned. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that Mr. Etsuya. Again?"

"…present."

"Better. Rei Fujiko?"

"Here."

"Michael Genji."

"Present."

"Sarah Hanaka."

"Present."

"Ruka Haruko."

"Here."

"Davis _Inoue_." Mrs. Hakashi made sure to put an emphasis on the Inoue this time around.

"…"

"Davis INOUE."

"…"

Mrs. Hakashi snarled. "What is it this TIME?" She immediately stomped over to Davis' desk.

Kari gulped as she stared at Davis, who was still glancing at his math book. _Davis, please answer her…don't tell me you're still upset about yesterday…!_

"Mr. Inoue!" yelled Mrs. Hakashi as she towered over his desk. "Whatever you find so interesting about your textbook can NOT be worth ignoring your teacher! Now respond DAVIS INOUE."

"…"

"Fine then." She reached down and pulled away the book, ready to give him a verbal thrashing…and paused.

Everyone in the class gaped. Kari couldn't believe it. _Oh no…_

_He didn't…_, thought TK out of absolute horror.

"…zzz…"

Davis Inoue…had fallen asleep at his desk.

Mrs. Hakashi stared at him for a few moments, wide-eyed.

Then her eyes narrowed.

Then she screamed, **_"WAKE UP RIGHT THIS MOMENT DAVIS INOUE!"_**

"WHA!" yelped Davis out of surprise. His arms flew up on impulse-

_SMACK._

And, as a result, his left hand smacked Mrs. Hakashi right in the face. The math teacher, unprepared for the hit, stumbled backwards. She lost her balance, fell over…

**KONK.**

…and banged her head onto the floor, knocking herself unconscious. However, during this series of unfortunate events, Davis' math book – which had been in her hands – was released and sent flying backwards as well. It sailed through the air…towards the door…

SLAM.

…and knocked against a certain red switch on the wall beside the door. Davis – who still felt sleepy – paled. _Nuh uh…please tell me my book didn't hit that switch…no way my luck's THAT bad…_

The class stared on in stunned shock. A certain Daichi Etsuya asked, "Uh…isn't that the fire alarm switch?"

_**BRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEE!**_

An ear-deafening alarm erupted throughout the entire school, causing the classmates to impulsively cover their ears. Seconds later, another system kicked in.

_FOOSH._

The water dispensers.

Shrieks erupted from throughout the entire school as water began pouring into every single room and hallway throughout the facilities (and now, somewhere in the high school wing, Tai Kamiya's hair was turning into a mop, thus meriting consideration as a useful helper by the school janitor).

The students shrieked as they stampeded out of the room (a few paused to drag Mrs. Hakashi out; how courteous of them). TK quickly got out of his desk and yelled, "Come on!"

Kari nodded and turned to Davis. "Come on Dav…is…"

"…zzz…"

Defying all odds, Davis had fallen asleep…again.

TK's eyes boggled. "How the heck can he sleep through this?"

"Who cares? Just give me a hand!"

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:05 PM/

"Refusing to answer roll call. Falling asleep in class. Assaulting a teacher. Setting off the fire alarm without an actual fire. Need I go on?" said Yolei, who was still slightly wet…and VERY, VERY irritable.

Right now – after the fire alarm debacle – the day had gone as usual (although the faculty and the students had become very cantankerous due to the wetness). Lunch was no different, and here we find the new Digidestined sitting at the lunch table. Of course, they were all still wet…and Davis was more irritable than all of them. "So I did all of that. They didn't have to give me a detention for it."

"Face the facts Davis: you HAVE gotten detention for less," interjected Cody.

"He has a point there," added TK.

Davis snorted as he crabbily bit into a brownie. "Hmph. Like I care. It's nothing new."

Kari sighed. Sometimes, she wished Davis took his record more seriously; with all of the detentions he had gotten, it was going to be hard for him to move on if he continued on like this.

"So, did any of you hear the announcements?" asked Cody.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Well, my homeroom teacher managed to get to the announcements before he was doused with water. Apparently, there's going to be a Halloween Costume contest on Monday."

This got everyone's attention. "Halloween costume contest?" exclaimed Yolei. "But Halloween was in October!"

"True, but the schools were still closed until November 1st. That's why the school faculty's making up for it with a Halloween costume contest right after school ends on November 8th," said Cody. After chewing and swallowing part of his sandwich, he continued, "They said whoever wins first place gets 100 dollars and a trophy."

Davis' ears pricked at that statement. _A trophy…and a hundred bucks?_ A smile came to his face. _Yeah…I'm gonna win that contest…_ And then, his smile became a wide grin. _…and I know how._

Kari took note of Davis' grin. "You sure look happy? Came up with a costume idea?"

"Better than that," said Davis cockily. "I'm going to win."

Yolei looked at Davis with a look of sarcasm. "Right. Oh, and when you go back inside, make sure your ego's small enough to fit through the door."

"WHAT WAS THAT?" yelled Davis as he stood up. All traces of his exhaustion from earlier were apparently gone.

"Nothing. Just pointing out the fact that you're boasting." Yolei was not in the mood to get involved in a loud banter with her 'brother' – she inwardly shuddered – due to her tiredness. She was not capable of getting into a loud argument right now.

"WILL YOU QUIT WITH THE INSULTS FOUR-EYES?" roared Davis.

Yolei's eyebrow suddenly twitched. _…what…did…he…just…call…me?_ **_"WHAT?"_**

Scratch what I said. She was DEFINITELY capable of getting into a loud argument.

"YOU HEARD ME! IF YOU THINK THAT I'M ACTING SO COCKY, THEN WHY DON'T YOU STEP UP TO THE PLATE?" roared Davis.

TK sweatdropped. _They're at it again…_

Yolei snarled as she stood, her fists clenched tightly. "IS THAT A CHALLENGE?"

Davis smirked. "I'm not asking you for a date, am I?" _THAT should get under her skin_.

It did.

_SLAM!_

As Davis moaned on the ground, rubbing his aching head gingerly, Yolei furiously stated, "One: do **_NOT_** use a dating analogy like that **_EVER AGAIN!"_**

_I'll agree to that_, thought Davis angrily. He had only intended to annoy Yolei…but to infuriate her. But then again, he often underestimated Yolei, didn't he?

"And two…YOU'RE ON!"

xxxx

/Rooftop, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:12 PM/

"They're at it again," said Gatomon as she licked her fur, her face stuck into one of annoyance.

"What else is new?" asked Patamon.

"…uuugghh…" moaned Poromon.

Upamon paled. "Oh no, not again!"

"**HUUURRRGH!"**

Sickly brown-green vomit covered the rooftop. Poromon wearily wiped his beak off. "Sorry…"

Gatomon sweatdropped. "Now HOW much 'Torture-Cola' were you two given?"

Demiveemon lazily raised his hand. "Twenty ounces each…oh, stomach hurting…"

The other three Digimon sweatdropped.

And that was how it had been for the littlie In-Trainings of the Inoue household. After the previous debacle that had been last night's 'Operation Snack Attack', Mr. and Mrs. Inoue had subjected the two Digimon to an extra-large dose of the infamous Torture-Cola. And thus did the Digimon hurl.

And hurl.

And hurl.

By the time morning had rolled around, the about two gallons of vomit had been produced by Demiveemon and Poromon combined. Thankfully, there were sinks and toilets (and, unfortunately for Mantarou, his left shoe) for disposing the mess. The two had been convinced that they were feeling well enough to go to school with Davis and Yolei…but right when they had gotten onto the school roof, the after-effects of the Torture-Cola had hit them again (unfortunately for Gatomon, which explained her annoyed countenance).

So here we are.

"So, what'd they say about a costume contest?" asked Patamon.

Gatomon shrugged. "Who knows. I caught everything, but the only thing to gain is some money and a trophy."

Upamon blinked. "Ooh…I wonder if the trophy will be big?"

"Urrgh…" moaned Demiveemon.

Patamon paled. "Uh oh! Gatomon, watch out!"

"**BLUUUUURRRRGGH!"**

"_**DARN IT DEMIVEEMON! I JUST GOT MY FUR CLEANED!"**_

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 3:45 PM/

Yolei frowned as she stroked Poromon's feathers. _How to beat him…how am I going to beat Davis…?_

That was the key. And while Davis wouldn't be home until later – as the detention kept him at school until 5 PM – he was currently troubling Yolei.

His words earlier at lunch. He had proclaimed his apparent victory.

That was what worried Yolei. It hadn't taken Davis long to come up with a costume idea…so what would HE be dressing up as? That was the key; she had to come up with something better. _But how?_ She had an eye for fashion, but her sense for winning combinations wasn't exactly the best. _Who…who can I count on to get me a winner?_

Then it hit her. "I've got it!"

"**HUUURRGGH!"**

"…eew…"

Five minutes and one change of clothes later…

Yolei, now wearing a dark red T-shirt and blue shorts, quickly grabbed the phone in the living room, and dialed a number she had learned no more than a week ago. "Hello? Tachikawa residence? Ah, hi Mimi! Great to hear from you! Listen, I have a favor to ask of you…"

xxxx

/Outside Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 5:21 PM/

"Bleh…" muttered Davis as he trudged home. "Detention sucks…"

"Then why do you get it so much Davish?" asked Demiveemon. By this time, the effects of the Torture-Cola had FINALLY worn off (shows him to raid a store).

Davis facefaulted. "…never mind…"

As Davis lazily walked into the convenience store, he found that all of the shelves that had been raided by Demiveemon and Poromon – as well as the freezers – were full again. _Man. Mr. and Mrs. Inoue work fast_. On the other hand, Davis wondered how much money the Inoues had lost due to the Digimon's snacking binge.

"Hi Davis!"

Davis shifted his eyes to see Jun Inoue, working behind the counter with Subaru. She was wearing the standard apron that employees wore. "Yo." Then he continued walking towards the door.

Jun blinked as she practiced exchanging money for change on the countertop. "What's his problem?"

"You forget," interjected Subaru. "That he stood up till 4 last night."

"True."

Davis lazily walked upstairs into the main apartment and towards HIS room.

_Heh…well, it's actually Mantarou's room_. Davis often thought about how much of an intrusion he and Jun were in the Inoues lives. Truthfully, he would've preferred living on the streets than mooching off a family entirely separate from the Motomiyas.

But then again, the Motomiyas didn't exist anymore, did they? Not legally, anyway. _Bleh…I STILL hate my new name._ _Davis Inoue…BLECH_. As Davis walked down the hall towards Mantarou's (and his) room, he heard noise coming from Yolei's room.

"Okay…so before we begin the measuring, we should go over basic color choices…"

Davis blinked. _Is that Mimi I hear…?_

"Right. I'd prefer a mixture of differing shades of red and purple."

_And that's Yolei…_

A giggle. "I like the way you think!"

_What's going on?_ Davis stomped toward Yolei's room and gazed inside.

A briefcase – and Poromon, for that matter – was sitting on Yolei's bed. The briefcase was open, revealing fashion magazines and clothing catalogues. Sitting on the floor was Mimi, holding a list of colors in her hand. Sitting in front of her was Yolei.

"Mimi? What are you doing here?" asked Davis out of surprise.

"Oh! Hi Davis!" said Mimi with a smile, her shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair combed to perfection. She was currently wearing a purple tank top and pink capri pants. Yes, she was wearing the very outfit she had worn in the tumultuous chain of events between October 22nd and October 26th. Despite her fickle taste when it came to fashion, she had grown attached to that set of clothes. Her brown eyes sparkled with glee as she asked, "So, how's being an Inoue going for you?"

"Eh…" Davis held his right hand forward – palm-down – and tilted it from side-to-side at quick speeds. It was a gesture that meant 'so-so'. Synonyms include 'average', 'okay', 'run of the mill', and 'bleh'.

Yolei shot Davis a glare. A glare he ignored. Davis asked, "Why are you here?"

"Helping Yolei prepare for the costume contest!" said Mimi with a smile. "I'm going to make a custom costume for her!"

"You hear that Davis?" Yolei gave him the thumbs-down gesture. "You're going down!"

Davis was silent. Yolei was waiting for a reply. Demiveemon hopped out of Davis' backpack and ran to the bathroom sink to get the smell of gym socks off of him.

Finally, the Child of Miracles smirked. "Doesn't matter what you do. You won't win…I guarantee it." With that, Davis walked away and towards his room.

Poromon blinked as Yolei's eyes flared with anger. "If I didn't know better Yolei, I think you were…oh, what was that word…? Oh yeah. 'Dissed'."

"I know. I'LL KILL HIM FOR IT!" roared the youngest Inoue female.

Mimi only smiled happily. "Don't worry about it." The Child of Sincerity leaned closer towards Yolei's ear and whispered, "Besides, HE doesn't know that I won first place last year at my school in the Halloween Costume Contest…and my winning costume was handmade by yours truly. You are in good hands."

Yolei grinned widely. "Yeah! Let's get to work!"

And so they did.

For the next weekend, Yolei spent all of her free time working with Mimi on her custom costume.

Davis spent his free time lazing around.

Demiveemon and Poromon spent their free time eating, but you probably knew that.

Fast-forward…to Monday…

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, Monday, November 8th, 3:34 PM/

A boy wearing a brown trench coat and a large brown hat walked off a bus. His entire body was concealed from view as a result of his disguise. The only part of his body that could be seen were purple eyes that possessed a kind of experienced aura.

"Hmm…if I was right, the school was this way…"

With that said, he walked towards the school.

xxxx

/Gymnasium, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:55 PM/

A multitude of children had gathered inside the school gymnasium: the basketball court, to be precise. The children gathered to participate in the contest stood in the center of the court. Those merely there to watch sat in the stands, which had been pulled out for the occasion. A large, makeshift podium had been erected at one end of the court, and in front of that podium sat a table. Sitting at that table were the three judges. From the faculty came two judges: the principal and a teacher. The teacher was Mrs. Hakashi. The principal was Jonathon Motoyama. And aside from some thinning brown hair near the temples, he was completely bald. The third judge was a member of the student body: Matt Ishida, member of the Teenage Wolves.

In the stands, Sora Takenouchi sweatdropped. "Boy. I can see the girls staring at Matt already."

"More like leering," huffily said Mimi.

"Calm down. You know Matt won't succumb to pressure. After all, Davis, TK, Tai, Yolei, and Cody all entered this contest." Sitting beside the two girls was none other than Izzy Izumi, Child of Knowledge, and computer genius. "He won't give in to bias."

"I suppose you're right," said Mimi with a sigh.

Also sitting beside them was Kari, who stared quietly down at Tai. He had dressed up…as Inuyasha. He had even gone so far as to spray his hair with water-soluble white paint to give off the illusion that he was the half-demon character. _I swear, he shouldn't be this obsessed with cartoons at his age._ Her eyes then turned to Cody, who was wearing his kendo uniform. _At least Cody's costume is sensible._

"Pardon me."

The Children of Love, Sincerity, Knowledge, and Light blinked as a boy in a brown hat and trench coat stood in front of them on the stands. "Mind if I have a seat?"

Kari recognized that disguise. "Of course…Child of Kindness."

Yes; it was Ken Ichijouji, the Child of Kindness. But why the disguise? It was obvious; despite the fact the physical and mental boost provided by Demon's Dark Spore was long gone, he was still a very smart and athletic child…and he was STILL the Rocket to many. If not for the disguise, those that had gathered for the costume contest would have turned their attention to him…and ONLY him.

"So, what brings you here?" asked Izzy as Ken sat down beside Kari.

"Yolei sent a message to my D-Terminal inviting me to come to the costume contest." He quickly reached inside the trench coat and said, "You can come out now."

"Whew! Finally!" A small, insectoid head poked out of a large pocket inside the folds of the coat. It was none other than Minomon, the In-Training form of Wormmon. "Pardon my saying Ken, but that pocket is cramped!"

"Sorry. I'm not ready to fully let you be seen in public just yet," whispered Ken.

"So…" said Mimi with a sly look in her eyes. "Yolei INVITED you, did she?"

Ken remained silent as a slight blush came to his cheeks. "Yes. What of it?"

Sora smiled as she leaned back. "Say no more…"

"Speaking of which, where is Yolei, anyway?" asked the Child of Kindness.

"Changing in the girls' bathroom…and here she comes now!" exclaimed Mimi.

The moment Yolei walked into the gymnasium, a lot of eyes were drawn to her…and for good reason. She looked **radiant**.

Her body was adorned by a skin-tight dress made of soft, velvety material colored purple. At her waist, a violet skirt came into being that billowed down to her ankles. Dark red high-heel slippers covered her feet, and matching gloves covered her hands. Dark red ribbons twirled around her arms; speaking of the arms, they were hidden by the long sleeves of her dress. A cherry-colored sash was wrapped around her waist, adding more color to the overall design. Attached to her shoulders was a flowing scarlet cape that went down to her calves. Her long, lavender hair was combed and silky smooth, and a single red ribbon was tied onto her hair into a finely knotted bow. The final addition to her costume was surprisingly simple: she wasn't wearing her glasses.

A large portion of the males in the room stared at Yolei quietly. Ken couldn't help but blush at how…_stunning_ she looked. _Wow…_

"Impressive." Kari immediately took a picture with her portable camera. "What'd you do Mimi?"

Mimi smiled. "Simple; I exercised my fashion know-how and transformed Yolei from a simple Digidestined into an alluring vixen! No teenager in their right mind would say no to a date with her!"

Ken found himself agreeing.

"But it only makes me wonder…what will Davis do? He said he would win the contest no matter what Yolei did…but after this, I'm starting to wonder," said Kari.

"Not only that," interjected Mimi. "But he didn't do any shopping for a costume or anything! It's like he already had the costume with him!"

Ken frowned. "But that can't be possible…what costume could Davis have that one, he already owns, and two, can beat Yolei's?"

At that moment, Davis entered the gymnasium.

The attention Yolei garnered was nothing compared to the attention Davis Inoue was receiving…but his entire body was covered by a shimmering suit of golden armor: the Armor of Miracles.

All of the Digidestined in the gymnasium went bone-white at the sight of Davis cockily grinning, walking onto the court. Yolei immediately thought, _NO FAIR! He's using the Armor of Miracles? HOW THE HECK DO I COMPETE WITH **THAT?**_

In the stands, Minomon whispered. "Wow. Neat costume. It looks just like his Holy Armor!"

"It IS his Holy Armor," pointed out Izzy.

"Oh."

At the judges' table, Matt Ishida was scowling. _Davis…you PINHEAD! How could you think of using the Armor of Miracles as a disguise? Were you even thinking?_

And then TK walked in.

And all of Davis' apparent hopes for winning easily went down the drain.

Because TK was wearing a suit of golden bronze armor. The armor itself had a curved, graceful look to it, not angular like Davis' Armor of Miracles. The armor that covered his shins, feet, and forearms had wing and rhombus markings emblazoned on them, as well as shimmering blue sapphires. Bronze gloves covered his hands, with spikes protruding from his knuckles. His head was covered by bronze armor, with a large slot in each side to show the sides of his mouth and his eyes. The forehead had an upside-down light-blue triangle emblazoned on it, and there were slits in the helmet for his eyes to see through. The ears of Pegasusmon extended from the sides of his helmet, and a mane of light blonde hair extended from the back of the helmet, ending at the top of his shoulders. Extending from his shoulder blades was a pair of large, angelic wings made of light-orange feathers. Finally, the Crest of Hope adorned his breastplate, its color a blazing yellow-bronze.

It was the Armor of Hope. Normally covering Pegasusmon, the Armor of Hope was one of the Holy Armors…and TK was using it as his costume.

The Digidestined all went bone-white again. Matt resisted the urge to face-fault at the fact his brother had had the same idea Davis had had.

Davis couldn't help but gape. _WHAT? NO FAIR! TC HAD THE SAME IDEA I HAD!_

TK blinked out of surprise at the sight of Davis. _Wow. He had the same idea I had._

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 7: Costume Contest (Part 2)

xxxx

Author's Notes: MWAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger. Take THAT!

See you soon, and please review!


	7. Costume Contest: Part 2

Standard Disclaimer: HEY! LAWYERS! GET AWAY FROM MY PIE!

Author's Notes: (shrugs) I've run out of things to say. As for the quick update, I felt like doing another chapter of Housemates.

And for all you readers who know my stories are balanced, prepare…FOR ACTION!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 7: Costume Contest (Part 2)

xxxx

/Gymnasium Rooftop, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 4:02 PM/

"Wow. Lot of people down there," said Koromon.

"You know it," agreed Upamon.

Right now, gathered on the rooftop of the gymnasium were ten Digimon: Koromon, Tsunomon, Yokomon, Tanemon, Motimon, Demiveemon, Poromon, Upamon, Patamon, and Gatomon. They were staring down through some of the windows in the gymnasium's rooftop; this way, they could keep a full eye on the costume contest.

Tsunomon quietly murmured, "I hope Matt doesn't choke when it comes time to judge."

"Don't worry! He'll be fine!" reassured Motimon.

Meanwhile, Yokomon exclaimed, "Wow! Look at Yolei's costume!"

"Awesome, isn't it?" said Poromon with a hint of pride.

Tanemon, with just as much pride, smirked. "Of course! Nothing can go wrong when Mimi's at the helm!"

Gatomon, on the other hand, stared down with quite scorn at Davis and TK. "This is a bad idea…using the Holy Armors as a costume was a bad decision. It's something I can see Davis doing…but TK?"

Patamon shrugged. "Hey, it isn't really THAT bad of an idea."

"Besides, what's so bad about it?" asked Demiveemon.

Gatomon sweatdropped as she groaned. "Gah…think about it! Even if they only use the armors as a costume, they could level this whole building if they wanted to! Heck, if they fully unleashed the power of those armors, they could level the ENTIRE CITY!"

"Ah, you worry too much Gatomon," reassured Demiveemon. "What could go wrong?"

Famous last words.

xxxx

/Gymnasium, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 4:05 PM/

Kari blanched at the sight of both Davis AND TK wearing their Holy Armors. "What…are…they…thinking?"

"Boys will be boys," muttered Sora.

"Even so, you have to admire the idea; it's quite ingenious when you think about it," said Izzy.

Ken nodded out of concurrence. "True. Just as long as they don't let any explosions loose, they should be just fine."

Uh…no.

xxxx

Davis resisted the urge to scream his head off at TK for stealing his idea. Instead, he stomped towards TK and angrily said, "Hat-boy! What the heck are you thinking, stealing my costume idea?"

"Your idea?" replied TK out of confusion. "Actually, I think you could say the idea was mutually exclusive. I just thought about it so I could win the costume contest."

Davis Inoue snorted at the Child of Hope. "Feh. Whatever…but you know what? I'll still kick your kisser! Your costume's nothing more compared to mine!"

However, as Davis said that, a lot of contestants were behind TK, poking at his wings. One kid dressed like Hamtaro said, "Ooh…pretty wings! Are they real?"

TK – having prepared for questions like that – innocently said. "Nah."

Another kid dressed as Pikachu exclaimed, "But how come they look real?"

"My dad works at the Fuji Television Station. You'd be surprised how much stuff you can find there," replied TK with a smile.

Davis' eyebrow twitched. _Oh. He's good._

"**Attention!"** yelled Principal Motoyama through a bullhorn. **"Contestant number one, line up on stage!"**

An excited teenager wearing a ninja costume whooped. "Me first!"

You see, those who had signed in to partake in the contest were given a number by the judges. When their number was called, they would get on the podium and exhibit their costume for the judges.

The teen grinned as he stepped onto the podium. "He he he…I'm going to win!"

Mrs. Hakashi asked, "So, what are you disguised as?"

"A ninja!" exclaimed the teen as he swung a plastic katana around in the air.

Matt resisted the urge to laugh. Even though the kid proclaimed to be disguised as a ninja, it was nothing more than tight black pajamas. He could even see the zipper. Matt turned his head to see Mrs. Hakashi and Jonathon Motoyama having similar looks of amusement in their eyes. _This kid definitely isn't winning the contest._

However, there were over one hundred contestants to choose a winner from.

xxxx

"**Contestant number 9!"**

A delightfully cute seven-year-old girl came on stage, wearing a Bijou the hamster costume. "Hi! I'm Bijou!"

Mrs. Hakashi smiled happily. "Aw…you look so cute."

Matt and Motoyama sweatdropped. The principal thought, _Well, there is the cuteness factor to consider…_

xxxx

"**Contestant number 21!"**

Tai grinned as he walked on stage, a large replica of the infamous Tetsusaiga dangling over his shoulder, his right hand limply holding it. He wore quite a good copy of Inuyasha's outfit, from the red outfit (with the long, loose sleeves even) to the necklave of purple beads and white teeth (made from clay, however). Even the white hair – although not long at all – was done reasonably well, and he had a pair of phony dog-ears. As if that weren't enough, he had yellow contact lenses to change his eye color.

Matt actually laughed. "So Tai…I see you still have the Tetsusaiga sword from the 'Win the Fang Sweepstakes' last year."

"You know it!" replied Tai with a grin.

"Anyways…who are you dressed up as Tai?" asked Mr. Motoyama.

Tai swung the fake Tetsusaiga blade – although it was a replica, it was only made of plastic – around him. "I am dressed up as none other than Inuyasha!"

Mrs. Hakashi blinked. "Oh yes…I remember now from when you were in my class two years ago. You often daydreamed about this 'Inuyasha'…while class was still taking place."

Tai sweatdropped. A few of the high-school students in the audience (Matt included) snickered.

Motomaya glanced at Matt. "The design is well done in my opinion…but seeing as how I know jack-squat about this 'Inusasha', is the costume faithful to the character?"

"With the exception of the hair length…darn near perfect," replied Matt.

Mrs. Hakashi grinned. _Hmm…he might be winner material…_

xxxx

"**Contestant number 35!"**

A male adolescent in a Gundam 'costume' stepped onto the podium. "I…am a Mobile Suit. To be more precise, I am…" He then struck a pose. "A GUNDAM!"

Then his 'costume' fell apart. I put the 'costume' part inside marks because it was made out of nothing but colored cardboard.

All three judges sweatdropped. "Next."

xxxx

"**Contestant number 50!"**

A blonde teenager wearing nothing but a white bathrobe walked onto the podium, a strange grin plastered onto his face. "Hmm hmm hmm…"

Motoyama raised an eyebrow out of concern. "I assume that bathrobe is not your costume?"

"No sir…my costume's underneath." Then, as he undid the bathrobe's belt, he yelled, "Behold…GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN!"

Then he promptly flashed the entire audience.

The judges gaped. Younger children blinked out of confusion as the more sensible teenagers forcibly closed their eyes. A lot of female adolescents shrieked out of utter horror.

Then, Yolei flew in from the side (more like a long jump, but for the sake of the scene, work with me), her eyes flaring with fire as she roared, **"OFF THE STAGE YOU FREAKIN' HENTAI PERVERT!"**

**_POW!_**

The flasher groaned as Yolei's feet slammed into his head, knocking him onto the ground. The judges immediately gave Yolei a thumbs-up. "Bravo!"

Yolei smiled happily.

Meanwhile, up in the stands, Izzy glanced quietly at Ken before commenting, "You have an odd taste in women my dear friend."

"Izzy! Shut up!"

xxxx

"**Contestant number 57!"**

Cody quietly stood on stage, his body clothed in the white-and-gray _bogu_ that was the standard uniform for practitioners of Kendo. In his hands was a _shinai_: the wooden sword used in the art of Kendo.

Matt calmly said, "So Cody…mind telling us what you're dressed as?"

"A student of Kendo…and if you don't mind, I'd like to demonstrate a few techniques for the audience. I'd like you to know that even though I am an assistant master in my house, I still have much to learn. So please forgive me if my technique seems crude." Then, Cody began demonstrating the swordplay of the Kendo style.

Despite what Cody said, his swordplay was eloquent and graceful in its fluidity. The series of thrusts, parries, and controlled slashes he made toward his invisible opponent were marvelous to look at.

Jonathon Motoyama smiled as he leaned toward Matt Ishida, whispering, "Amazing talent that kid has, eh?"

Matt nodded. "Indeed." He glanced back at the audience; he could see that quite a few people were bedazzled by the Child of Humility's work.

Up in the stands, Ken suddenly frowned. "I see…"

"Hmm? What? What do you see?" asked Kari.

"Since his grandfather died in the Odaiba War, Cody is now technically the teacher at the Hida Kendo class…and he's using this costume contest as an opportunity to 'advertise', if you get my drift."

"I see…" muttered Mimi. "Smart move!"

Meanwhile, down in the throng of contestants, TK looked at Cody sorrowfully as the boy bowed and walked off the stage to tremendous applause. _Cody…since your grandfather's not alive anymore, you want to keep his teachings alive by passing them on to others…that's an honorable thing you're doing Cody._

Ironically, Cody was thinking along those same lines. _Grandpa…your teachings live on in me…and I will honor your memory by passing those words on to others._

xxxx

"**Contestant number 75!"**

A long-haired female teenager gave a 'V for Victory' sign to the audience as she took off her bathrobe, revealing…a two-piece swimsuit made out of leaves. "Love Hina OWNS YOU ALL!"

The judges sweatdropped. Matt immediately yelled, "NEXT!"

xxxx

"**Contestant number 94!"**

The judges all sweatdropped at the sight of a young kid trying to walk up the stairs to the podium; he was wearing a clunky, miniaturized replica of the Big O mech.

Mrs. Hakashi resisted the urge as the kid futilely tried to ascend the stairs. _A costume's no good if you can't move._

They all then facefaulted when the kid fell backwards onto the floor. Mrs. Hakashi did the honors. "Next."

xxxx

Matt Ishida looked down at his slip of paper quietly. So far, out of the 107 contestants called up, only ten had been given the title of 'Finalist Material'.

Name – Costume 

Tai Kamiya – Inuyasha

Tomoe Nira – Samurai

Ruka Haruko – European Queen

Miko Enyuka – Bijou the Hamster

Thomas Himura – Darth Vader

Randy Andrews – Master Chief

Cody Hida – Kendo Practitioner

Eleanor Uchiha – The Boss

Edward Hyuga – Boba Fett

Neji Hatake – Kakashi

Matt chuckled at the costume variety. _Heh. A half-demon, a Japanese samurai, European royalty, a hamster, a Sith Lord, a cybernetic super soldier, a Kendo teacher, a special forces operative, a space-age bounty hunter, and an elite ninja…quite a selection._

Still, there were only three contestants left…and compared to the current ten finalists, THESE three would blow them out of the water.

Yolei Inoue.

Davis Inoue.

And TK Takaishi.

As much as Matt hated to admit it, the boys' idea to use their respective Holy Armors was sheer genius. Nobody knew what power they contained, and the Holy Armors were probably more authentic than any other costume in the entire building.

"**Contestant number 108!"**

That's when Yolei Inoue calmly stepped onto the stage. Several of the boys in the crowd gave her wolf whistles.

"_**CAN IT! THIS IS A COSTUME CONTEST, NOT A PEEP SHOW!"**_

That promptly quieted everyone. The Child of Caring then happily smiled at the judges. "Sorry about that."

"No apology needed," replied Mrs. Hakashi with a small smile.

"So, Miss Inoue…who are you dressed as?" asked the principal with a calm smile.

A few moments passed. In the stands, Mimi was hurryingly thinking, _Say an alluring vixen! Say an alluring vixen! There's nothing else that'll fit!_

Finally, Yolei said, "Myself."

This caused the three judges to blink out of curiosity. "Elaborate," asked the principal.

"Well…it's just that a lot of times, people normally wear their own kind of costume to disguise who they really are…so in a way, they actually BECOME their costume." Then, she smiled widely. "Let's just say my costume is who I really am. I guess you could say I'm not wearing a costume at all."

Silence.

In the stands, Izzy chuckled. "Heh…she has a point, you know. These days, so many people hide who they really are to move ahead in this world."

"Right," concurred Kari. "It takes something extraordinary to reveal your true self in this day and age without fearing ridicule."

"Does being the Child of Caring count?" joked Sora.

Finally, Mrs. Hakashi giggled. "Hee hee hee…interesting costume idea…unorthodox, yet unique, original, and slightly poignant in its subject matter."

"Agreed," said both male judges. Matt then put another addition to his list.

Yolei Inoue – Yolei Inoue

_Ha! How's that for a costume? Dressing as yourself…_ Matt couldn't help but smile at thought.

As Yolei stepped off the podium, Motoyama pulled out his bullhorn. **"Contestant number 109!"**

"WOO! MY TURN!" cheered Davis as he bounded onto the podium. All of the other Digidestined in the gymnasium imultaneously thought the same thing: _Oh boy_. Then they all blinked. _That was weird_. Another set of blinks. _That was weird too!_ Then they all glared upward. _Stop that!_

_(Sorry.)_

Mrs. Hakashi suppressed her anger. Although Davis had been a bit of a troublemaker last week, she had to remain unbiased in her judging. Still, there was no masking the slight hint of contempt in her tone. "So…what are you supposed to be?"

Davis grinned as his golden armor gleamed in the gymnasium lights. "I am a do-gooder of course!" As he did goofy hero poses, he said, "I am a superhero! I am the bane of evil! I am…the Magna Warrior!" At that moment, he had a number of panels open up in his armor, revealing his Magna Missiles. He charged his Magna Ray, causing parts of his armor to shine brightly. He converted his two gauntlets into the Magna Guns. His thrusters flared with light, but it wasn't enough to actually propel Davis into the air. It was all just for show…and, of course, he didn't actually shout out his attacks' names.

The judges blinked out of surprise. A large multitude of the audience went, "Oooh…" The other Digidestined – save for Judge Ishida – facefaulted.

Finally, Matt asked, "I ASSUME none of that stuff is real? I mean, it looks VERY convincing…"

Davis goofily grinned. "Nah, it's all fake. What do you think I am? An idiot?"

Matt frowned. _Touché._ However, he couldn't help but admit to himself that Davis had made a stronger showing than anyone else up to that point.

Motoyama and Hakashi were more visibly impressed. "Very impressive Davis. You may now walk off."

Davis cheerily bowed before walking off the podium.

"**Contestant number 110!"**

TK smiled as he walked on stage. His bronze Armor of Hope also gleamed in the light. Finally, Motoyama asked, "So…who are you supposed to be?"

"Well…someone original. I guess you could call me the…Angel of Hope." TK then held his armored left hand up. "My dad works at the TV station, and he managed to get this for me. I cleaned it up, and voila! And this thing has a few nifty features." He then pressed his right index finger against his palm, while extending his wings at the same time.

Izzy smiled. _Clever. Pressing down on his palm with his finger to give off the illusion that the wings don't work on their own. _

Motoyama arched an eyebrow, obviously impressed. "Ah…anything else?"

TK pressed his middle finger against his palm. The triangle on his forehead glowed turquoise. Then, much to the shock of the Digidestined, TK fired his Equis Beam.

As the prism beam sailed toward the ground, Davis thought, _Wow…he's dumber than I thought._

However, when the beam hit the floor, it didn't do anything. Davis' eyes boggled. _HUH?_

TK smiled. "It's nothing more than a flashlight, really." He had drastically decreased the power behind the Equis Beam; it was now nothing more than an actual flashlight. Smart move on his part; it wouldn't do him any good to burn a hole in the floor.

"Anything else?" asked Mrs. Hakashi.

TK then pressed down on his palm with his pinky finger. Small stars fell down from the wings: his Star Shower attack. However, the blue stars merely crashed into the floor and harmlessly exploded into glitter-like dust before disappearing. To everyone watching, it was a harmless light show.

Matt had to admit that the control TK was exhibiting was extremely impressive…and that was the problem.

Because he couldn't decide whether to give the first place nod to either Davis…or TK.

And apparently, the other two judges were having the same problem.

Finally, Mr. Motoyama said, **"Contestant number 109, please get onto the podium with Contestant number 110."**

Davis grinned as he walked onto the podium, looking quite smug. _I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win, I'm gonna win win win…_

After exchanging a few whispers with the other judges, the principal finally said, "I'm afraid that we can't decide the victor between either of you."

Davis' eyes boggled. _WHAT?_ TK merely arched an eyebrow out of surprise. _Oh. Darn._

"So we have agreed to split the money 50/50 and just skip the trophy…unless you have an idea, that's what we'll do," finished Motoyama.

Davis began sweating. _Oh man…if he thinks I'm going to let TK share the first place spot with me, he's got another thing coming!_ Then, an idea clicked in his head. _…yeah…_ "Hey! I have an idea!"

At that comment, death knells rang out inside Yolei's head. _Uh oh._

Motoyama blinked as Davis whispered the idea into his ear. "…hmm…what? ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

"But come on! We've choreographed all of the moves and everything!" moaned Davis. TK took the opportunity to blink. _Choreographed? Huh?_

The principal frowned. "You expect me to believe that you actually planned out a FIGHT with Takaishi in the event you two TIED?"

Davis blinked. "Uh…yeah?"

Mrs. Hakashi snorted. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

The three judges looked up at TK, who was looking down at them with a smile. "Believe it or not, it's true."

"But TK!" protested Matt, knowing that his younger brother was fibbing.

"No buts Matt…there can only be one winner." He then glanced over at Davis with a smile, winking. "Right?"

Davis grinned cockily. "Right."

Mrs. Hakashi quickly protested, "But we cannot allow violence to happen in this school! We can't let this happen! Right Principal Motoyama?"

Motoyama was silent, his eyes staring quietly into the determined eyes of Davis and into the warm eyes of TK.

Finally…he relented. "You say you've practiced this 'fight?' No one will get hurt?"

Davis and TK shook their heads. "No one will get hurt!" exclaimed the Child of Miracles.

Motoyama sighed…should he really be doing this…? _Oh well…if they don't get hurt, it won't be bad. Besides…it'll be a good show for the kids._ Finally, he pulled out his bullhorn and said, **"All contestants, please make room on the gymnasium floor for TK Takaishi and Davis Inoue. The winner shall be decided in this choreographed 'bout'."**

This announcement sent a wave of shock throughout the audience. Yolei facefaulted, thinking, _The principal's gone insane!_ However, a lot of children began smiling as they thought about it; first place decided by a fight! What could be better?

Feeling frustrated, Matt Ishida glared at the principal. "No disrespect intended…but how the heck can a winner be decided from a 'planned' fight?"

Motoyama chuckled. "That's why I want to see this so-called 'choreographed' battle." The glint in his eyes said it all; he knew this battle wasn't planned at all. And yet, he was curious to see what would happen.

The students murmured quietly as Davis and TK stood several yards apart from each other, staring at each other intently. In the background, Tai was grinning madly. _This is gonna be sweet!_

TK stared quietly at Davis. "So…you first?"

Davis only shook his head.

"Alright then…remember, no flashy stuff." Then he charged forward.

SLAM!

The students gaped; TK's fist had slammed into the side of Davis' face, sending him backwards. Before the judges could cry foul, Davis chuckled. "Heh heh…nice hit."

TK frowned as Davis walked closer toward him. "So…what was the freebie for?"

Davis didn't say anything.

Then, he ran forward like a normal human, remembering not to do anything that would attract negative attention. He launched his right fist forward, only to have it caught by TK, who countered with a right hook of his own. Davis immediately grabbed it with his left hand.

That was when Davis finally answered. "That freebie was for you; call it repaying a debt for nearly leaving you behind at the Emperor's first base." You see, when the Emperor was still at large and in charge of the Server continent, the Digidestined had stumbled upon his first base: an underwater labyrinth of metal and creepiness. They had gone there to try and find information to use against him…but all they had found were two great threats: powerful security droids known as Terminator Units, and an artificial Digimon called Alienmon. In their attempt to escape that horrific place, TK had fallen into a trap…and in a moment of weakness, Davis had opted to leave TK behind so that he could have Kari for himself (after all, back then, his jealousy for TK had been at fever-pitch levels). However, he had wised up before TK could be devoured by Alienmon; he had gone back with Kari and Shaun to save the Child of Hope from a horrible death. Still, even today, the thought of what he had done weighed heavily on Davis' soul…and the weight would probably never be lifted.

But he could settle the debt at least a little bit.

TK smiled; although he didn't know what had really happened, he only knew that Davis had come to rescue him. "Hey…the past is the past…and the future has yet to come…there's only now."

"My kind of words," remarked Davis.

Then he flipped TK over.

The Child of Hope blinked as he was suddenly gripped by vertigo. Davis then slammed his body into the ground, keeping his strength under control. TK countered by kicking Davis in the chest, sending the Child of Miracles backwards. The Child of Hope leapt to his feet before charging.

As several students cheered, Davis grabbed TK's fist, but he was quickly kneed in the gut. Davis ducked downward and tripped TK up with a sweeping kick, hoping to get the Child of Hoppe to fall on his hindquarters. However, TK landed on his hands, stopping his fall. He lashed out with a swift kick to Davis' midsection; Davis flipped backward to avoid it, but as he landed, TK was upon him once more.

As the two exchanged a series of punches and kicks, the students were slowly getting more and more involved. Eventually, the majority of students were split into two camps: Davis fans and TK fans.

The Digidestined weren't part of either group. They were too busy fearing that either Davis or TK would accidentally let loose and cause the building to collapse. Izzy gulped as the two combatants fought each other, restraining as much of their power as they could. _Oh man…the impulse to let loose must be agonizing…but they have to actively keep restraining their own abilities, or they'll bring this place down…oh man, this is painful to watch…_

"HYA!" roared Davis as he slammed his fist into TK's breastplate, causing the Child of Hope to stagger backwards. Davis immediately followed up with a side-kick to the gut…well, what WOULD'VE been the gut had TK not jumped backwards and onto the first row of the stands. Several of the students yelped as they backed away from the combatants.

TK grimaced as Davis punched and kicked at him; he blocked as best as he could, but he was getting worn down. _Man…without my abilities, it's only hand-to-hand…and Davis is better than me in that regard…_

"YO! TK!" yelled Tomoe Nira as she tossed her two plastic katanas – which had been part of her samurai costume – at TK. Obviously, she was part of the 'pro-TK' group. "GIVE HIM WHAT FOR!" Her fell Pro-TK fans cheered enthusiastically along with her.

TK caught the two katanas quietly…and then he smiled. "These'll help," remarked the Child of Hope as he clenched their hilts tightly.

Davis gulped. _Crud_.

Davis immediately ran away from TK, much to the bewilderment of the Child of Hope. _Huh?_ The Pro-TK students jeered at Davis' apparent cowardice. The Pro-Davis students either booed at TK's use of an extra weapon or at Davis' apparent cowardice.

However, he had an actual plan…and it involved pilfering a certain half-demon's weapon.

Tai blinked as Davis snatched the Tetsusaiga replica out of his hands. "HEY!"

"Scuse' me. Borrowing it," muttered Davis as he whirled around to face TK. The Child of Miracles grinned as he held the Tetsusaiga with one hand. "Heh…sword time! EN GUARDE!"

TK yelped as Davis charged, swinging with the Tetsusaiga. He used both katanas to block the sword, but Davis was proving surprisingly quick with swinging the massive blade.

_Wait…scratch that_. When wearing the Armor of Miracles, Davis was capable of leveling a building. He was strong enough to wield that blade as if it were no lighter than a steak knife. TK was kicked out of his thought processes when Davis swung downward with the Tetsusaiga. TK immediately used both katanas to block it.

Davis smirked. Leaping away, he immediately charged forward, Tetsusaiga clenched tightly in his right hand. "HAAA…!"

TK charged forward as well, the katanas held in an 'X' pattern. "HAAA…!"

The plastic blades met.

_CLANG!_

The blades went flying in various directions. The Tetsusaiga clanged onto the ground beside Tai's feet, while the two katanas clattered onto the floor near the stands Tomoe Nira sat at.

All the while, the judges were watching on in silence. Here are their thoughts.

Mrs. Hakashi: _This is a bad idea…those two are going to end up hurting each other…_

Principal Motoyama: _Heh…'choreographed', eh? Since when does a planned fight involve using other people's swords as your own?_

Matt Ishida: _Go TK!_

Hey, the fight was going on whether Matt liked it or not. He might as well have decided to root for his little brother.

Davis and TK stared at each other quietly. Even though they appeared to have been fighting at their hardest to the students, they hadn't even broken a sweat yet.

At last, the two charged at each other, their left fists extended. They intended to strike at the fists, making for a nifty hit…but they misjudged the target area…and then…

**_POW! _**

POW!

…their fists hit their faces. The two had been so unprepared for the sudden hit that they fell backwards onto the ground.

Everyone gaped. Mrs. Hakashi quickly walked over to the two and looked at them quietly. "They're only unconscious. They'll be awake soon…but it's clear they did not win the tiebreaker." A sly grin crossed her face; she knew how to get payback against Davis for all the trouble caused last week…and payback against the principal for condoning such a violent display. She quickly scampered over to the other two judges and began whispering to them.

Yolei blinked out of curiosity. _What are they talking about…?_

In the stands, Ken frowned. _Are they trying to decide the winner?_

Finally, Motoyama sighed. "Fine then…you're right, it was a bad idea anyway."

Matt didn't seem to like it…but it was clear he had agreed as well, for the sake of logic and procedure if nothing else.

Smiling, Mrs. Hakashi grabbed the bullhorn and said, **"Dear students…since the two finalists are unconscious, they cannot receive their prize…therefore, the prize of the trophy and 100 bucks goes to the runner-up: Yolei Inoue!"**

Yolei Inoue stared at Mrs. Hakashi, slack-jawed. _…what'd she just say?_

xxxx

/Mantarou and Davis' Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:25 PM/

Davis angrily grumbled as he gazed upward at the bottom of Mantarou's bunk. Over the weekened, the eldest Inoue child had gotten the pre-made metal bunks; now Jun and Davis could actually sleep on actual beds. "Man…this sucks. I was only unconscious for ten freakin' minutes!"

"Chill dude, it's only a contest. It's not like life and death," lazily said Mantarou from his top bunk.

Davis snorted. "It's not that! It's the principle of the thing!" Now that he was angry, he couldn't sleep. "Bleh. Gotta go to the bathroom." With that said, he got up and stomped out of the room, storming into the bathroom.

Ten seconds later, someone snuck into the two boys' room and put something down on Davis' bunk. That 'someone' immediately snuck back out.

Fifty seconds later, Davis walked in, grumbling, "Bleh…Mrs. Hakashi did it only to spite me. I should've won that…" He then stopped before getting back in bed. Sitting on top of his bunk was a small, golden trophy that looked like a Jack-O'-Lantern sitting on top of a pedestal. The trophy itself was a foot tall, and it sat on a white marble pedestal. On the pedestal was a black plaque that read _'HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST WINNER'._

"…trophy…?" Davis picked it up, only to find a note taped onto the back. He quietly read it, his eyes squinting in the darkness.

xxxx

_Hi. Look, I know when I'm beat; you obviously won that contest, and I don't think TK's will to win was as great as yours either. Just so you don't feel bad, here's the trophy to keep. It's too tacky for me anyway._

_From your dear 'sister', Yolei_

xxxx

Davis couldn't help but blink at the touching emotion in the letter…and it was especially shocking since it came from Yolei. "Yolei…" He actually smiled; perhaps she wasn't so bad after all. "Oh, there's more."

xxxx

_P.S: However, I keep the money._

xxxx

"**DARN IT YOLEI!"**

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 8: The First Date

xxxx

Author's Notes: Hee hee…hope you all enjoyed the contest. And if you can correctly guess WHO goes on their first date in the next chapter, you get a cookie. ;)

See you soon, and please review!


	8. The First Date

Standard Disclaimer: Will I ever have to stop writing these? Never. I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: Behold…the ROMANCE!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 8: The First Date

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, Saturday, November 13th, 12:39 PM/

"Hmm hmm hmm hmm…"

"…"

"Dum di-dee dum…"

"…"

"Da da da da…"

"DARN IT YOLEI, **SHUT UP!"**

"…doot doot doo…"

"_**ARE YOU ASKING FOR A BEAT-DOWN?"**_

"I'd like to see you try, 'Magna Warrior'."

Davis seethed as he glared daggers at Yolei. It was Saturday, and the two were on their way home from school; in Japan, Saturday classes only lasted half a day. Momoe and Jun had already moved far ahead of them towards the Inoue Convenience Store. Yolei and Davis were lagging behind.

And Davis was fed up with Yolei's joyful humming. "Why the heck are you humming so much?" Then he remembered her previous comment. "And are you insinuating my costume name stunk?"

"Costume: good. Name: bad." Her frown then morphed into a happy smile again. "And I'm humming because I'm happy! I got some good news today."

"What? That you're NOT a nerd?"

**_SMACK!_**

Davis writhed on the sidewalk for a few moments before continuing the walk with his 'sister'. Curiosity finally overwhelming him, the boy asked, "So…what's made you so perky?"

"I'm not telling!" cheerfully replied Yolei.

Davis' eyebrow twitched. SOMETHING was seriously wrong here. To hear She-Hulk act so…happy was foreign to him. Sure, there had been times when Davis had seen Yolei act chipper…but happy enough to hum? Never.

So what would make Yolei THIS happy? The bone-smashing, sometimes-caring, occasionally boy-crazy, rock'em-sock'em Yolei Inoue being THIS happy?

Then it hit Davis like a bolt of lightning. The only time he had seen this kind of happiness from a girl had been from Jun whenever she thought of Matt in her days as an Ishida groupie. Aah…she's thinking about a boy. Even so, Yolei didn't really get happy enough to hum because of thinking about a boy (well, she HAD fainted out of shock the first time she met Ken Ichijouji, but that's beside the point)…so there was only one explanation.

"AH HA! I FIGURED IT OUT!"

"That you're an idiot?" sarcastically replied Yolei.

"YES!" Davis suddenly paled. "Wait, I mean NO! I'm talking about something else!"

Too late. The damage had been done. Yolei broke into a fit of giggles and laughter at Davis' unintentional self-insult.

"Ha ha. Very funny," fumed Davis. "What I REALLY meant to say is that-"

"You're hungry and need to get a snack?"

Davis grumbled as he glanced backward at Demiveemon, who was poking his head out of his backpack. "NO!"

"Can you still get one for me? I'm hungry!"

"Wait until we get home!"

"Aw…" Demiveemon moped before getting back into the depths of Davis' backpack.

"Okay!" said Davis out of exasperation. "Now…what I REALLY wanted to say is-"

"That we're almost home?" interrupted Poromon as he poked his head out of Yolei's backpack.

Davis' face immediately turned fiery red.

And then he screamed.

xxxx

Somewhere in the Digital World, the Guardian God Huanglongmon flinched. _Did I just hear a scream?_

Silence.

…_nah._

xxxx

As the two Inoues neared their home, Yolei angrily rubbed her ears. "Did you have to yell so loud? Geez…my right ear feels numb."

"Not my fault I kept getting interrupted," angrily muttered Davis. They were now mere yards away from the Convenience Store's front door. "Now, all I was trying to say is that I figured out WHY you're so happy. And it's-"

"Hello."

The veins in Davis' forehead suddenly pulsed. _WHAT NOW?_ He whirled around to give a verbal thrashing to whoever interrupted him this time…and then he blinked.

Standing on the sidewalk behind him was a tall man of 20. His frame was solid and well built, but not super muscular. He wore a brown jacket over his blue collared shirt, and he also wore neatly ironed khakis. Around his waist was a brown belt with a shining golden buckle, and he wore brown dress shoes. His blue hair was combed neatly into a flawless bowl cut, and his calm, soothing black eyes peered at him from behind medium-sized glasses.

It was Jim Kido, the older brother of Joe Kido, the Child of Reliability.

Jim smiled as he waved at Davis and Yolei. "Hello guys. Am I correct in assuming that this is the Inoue residence?"

Yolei happily said, "You've got that right!"

Jim smiled. "Perfect." He glanced down at a black digital watch strapped to his left wrist. "Hmm…ten seconds till 12:45." Jim walked in front of the convenience store and counted down. "10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…0."

_DING._

"HI!"

Davis, Yolei, Demiveemon, and Poromon leapt backwards out of sheer shock; the one owning the enthusiastic voice had been none other than Jun, and her sudden appearance had rattled them all. Well, except Jim. He had been expecting her.

The Kido boy smiled as he said, "12:45 PM on the button…nice."

"Well, I wanted to be punctual for my first time out," replied Jun with a silly grin. She herself wore a simple and casual outfit: a red skirt that went down to her knees, a white T-shirt, a blue denim jacket, and a red scarf in case it got cold (it WAS November after all). Also, instead of the usual black boots that she often wore, she was now wearing black dress shoes.

Jim smiled. "True. Well…shall we go?"

"First time out? Punctual? Go? WHAT THE HECK'S GOING ON HERE?" roared Davis out of frustration.

He got an odd look from Jun. "…I'm going on a date with Jim."

Utter silence.

Then disbelief. **_"WHAT?_** SINCE WHEN?"

Yolei suddenly blinked out of remembrance. "Oh yeah! You told us last night at dinner!"

"WHAT?" yelped Davis. "She did? Huh?"

Jun shot an annoyed glance at Davis. "Don't you remember?"

xxxx

/Flashback/

The Inoues calmly munched on their fried chicken dinner in relative silence. Aside from the mild _crunch-crunch_, no one spoke.

Then, Jun smiled as she said, "Everyone, I have an announcement to make."

"What is it?" asked Subaru.

Jun smiled happily as she said, "Well…I've spoken with Jim over the phone earlier…and tomorrow will be a milestone for me!"

"What do you mean?" calmly asked Chizuru.

Jun's smile grew even wider. "Well…I'm going on my first date tomorrow at 12:45 PM!"

This caused a chorus of shock and surprise and adulation to arise from everyone in the room…well, except Davis. He was too busy munching on the skin of his fried chicken…which happened to be the Extra-Crunchy variety.

So when Jun had spoken, Davis had heard nothing but this:

"Crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch crunch…" 

Davis didn't really know why Jun looked so happy, but he applauded for the heck of it.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

Davis blinked out of sudden remembrance. "Er…uh…well uh…no, I don't."

Yolei scoffed. "I swear Davis, you are thick."

"Oh well. No harm done." Jun happily grabbed onto Jim's arm before saying, "Ta ta everyone! See you in several hours!"

As the couple walked away, Davis blinked out of shock. "Well…that was…sudden…"

"I think it's sweet!" exclaimed Yolei with a starry-eyed expression. "Oh, Jun has it good; that Jim is a real gentlemen, unlike SOME people I know." She had intentionally emphasized the 'some people' to get at Davis.

Unfortunately, there was no response.

She looked around to see that Davis wasn't there. "Huh. He must've gone inside already."

CHOOM! 

Yolei shrieked as a sudden rush of air erupted from above her. Several bystanders also screamed as well. The Child of Caring glanced upward to see a golden figure flying upward into the sky from an open apartment window.

It took her a moment to recognize who it was. "That's…DAVIS! **_WHAT THE HECK IS HE DOING?"_**

Poromon peered out of Yolei's backpack and blinked before he said, "Uh…it looks like he's taking your stereo."

Suddenly, Yolei could make out the black object held tightly in Davis' right arm. It was indeed her stereo.

Then she well and truly lost it.

"_**DAVIS! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING WITH MY STEREO?"**_

xxxx

/Sky Above Odaiba, 12:48 PM/

_Where…where…there!_ Davis' eyes finally found Jim and Jun; they were entering the Kido boy's car, a gray Honda Civic. He hovered quietly in midair, black stereo in hand, and slowly kept in eye on their progress. As the car moved along, Davis followed from above.

To be truthful, THIS idea had to be one of his most outrageous ever.

It was probably also on par with his 'Costume Contest Brawl' in terms of improvisation. He had come up with THIS plan in about twenty seconds. Hey, at least he was a quick thinker.

Anyhow, it involved following Jim and Jun all day until their date ended.

Why? To spy on them?

No…nothing could be further from the truth.

You see, although Davis and Jun shared a sort of orthodox love-hate relationship that most siblings had, there were times when Davis had said words he regretted (like, for instance, calling Jun 'a tramp' because of her school uniform). He wanted to make up.

So he was going to make sure her first date with Jim was going to go off without hitch.

He would see to it personally.

xxxx

/Highway, Odaiba, 12:55 PM/

"So Jun…where are we going for lunch?"

Jun smiled as she answered, "I'll answer your question with a question: what movie will we be watching afterwards?"

Jim smiled humorously. The way they had arranged their date was this: Jun picks the restaurant, Jim picks the movie. Then they head to the park to finish the date off around nighttime. "Touché."

Jun suddenly said, "Make a right here."

Jim complied. "So…where is this restaurant?"

"Aquacity."

"Really?" replied Jim with a raised eyebrow. Aquacity was a shopping mall that contained numerous restaurants, stores, a 13-screen theater complex, among other things. Neighboring Aquacity was another shopping mall: Decks Tokyo Beach, which was similar in many aspects to Aquacity…except it had a spot that was frequented often by video game nerds all over the city: Tokyo Joypolis, an arcade that spanned three floors. "Ever seen the view of Rainbow Bridge from Aquacity."

Jun nodded. "Mmm-hmm…but that's not why we're going there."

"True…" Jim couldn't help but smile at the happy grin he saw on Jun's face. "You sure look upbeat."

"That's because the restaurant we're going to…well, I haven't been to it either."

Jim actually let surprise cross his face. "Really? Going to somewhere you've never been on a first date? Isn't that unorthodox?"

Jun responded with a smile. "I like to deviate from the formula."

"True. You've been known to do that," commented Jim with a grin.

xxxx

/6th Floor, Aquacity, Odaiba, 1:21 PM/

Davis quietly followed Jun and Jim, trying to look inconspicuous. The moment Jim and Jun had parked outside of Aquacity, Davis had landed in a nearby alley to dismiss his Armor of Miracles. After stashing the stereo in a hidden spot, he had immediately began tracking the couple. It had been fortunate that he had caught up to them before the even entered the shopping mall; otherwise, he would have never found them.

_Okay…just keep your distance, but don't let them out of your sight…keep it cool Davis. You're doing this for Jun_. As he kept on walking, he suddenly noticed that the two had stopped in front of a certain restaurant. _Hmm…what the…?_

xxxx

"What the…?" uttered Jim as he stared at the picture of a red lobster quietly. "Red Lobster? Isn't that an American restaurant?"

Jun nodded. "Momoe said she went here once; she loved this place. Always wanted to try it out myself. Besides, our food is great…but it's nice to go exotic once in a while, you know?"

"Perhaps," replied Jim. "I trust your judgment though; the REAL test will be the food."

As the two entered, they didn't notice Davis quietly entering behind them, making sure that he wasn't seen.

xxxx

/Izumi Apartment, Odaiba, 1:25 PM/

Izzy sighed as he worked on his pineapple laptop in silence. He had the rest of the day off, and he was going to spend it the only way he knew how: keeping tabs on the Digital World.

To be honest, Izzy had been keeping an eye on the Digiworld ever since the Odaiba War had ended. He wanted to see how the Guardian God and the four Guardian Beasts were doing with the reconstruction of the Digital World.

To be blunt, they were doing a masterful job. All of File Island had already been reconstructed, and Xuanwumon, Baithumon, and Huanglongmon were busy rebuilding Server. Zhuqiaomon and Azulongmon were hopping to and fro from the other three continents Folder, Desktop, and Backdrop, as those three had not been subjected to as much stress as Server had. Even so, UmbraDevimon's Black Gears and the Digimon they controlled had wreaked plenty of havoc on all four continents.

Izzy sighed. _Man…so much devastation_. And to think that a great bulk of it all had only taken place in a five day period…

However, he HAD taken note of a strange phenomenon that had recently been taking place.

Due to all of the chaos that had been inflicted upon both the Real and Digital worlds, the barriers between them were still rather weak. Although the five Guardians HAD done a good job refortifying them, there were still some holes left.

And recently, some Digimon had been slipping through those holes, emerging into the Real World.

However, all of the Digimon that had emerged so far were tame and harmless. With some quick work on the part of the Digimon of Earth City – the new haven for the denizens of the Forbidden City that had chosen to remain in the Real World – the emergent Digimon had been quickly returned to the Digiworld.

But Izzy knew that it wouldn't last like that forever. One day, a hostile Digimon would slip through…and until then, he would monitor the Digital World to try and find out when that would happen.

xxxx

/Red Lobster, 6th Floor, Aquacity, Odaiba, 1:36 PM/

Davis calmly lowered his menu; his eyes peered over the top edge to see Jun and Jim sitting at a booth approximately ten yards away. _Okay…got to hear what they order._

Meanwhile, Jim munched on a Cheddar Bay Biscuit with a smile on his face. "Good biscuits. I wonder if the same quality applies to the rest of the food."

"Mm-hmm," lazily replied Jun as she 'scarfed' down on two biscuits at once. The display made Jim sweatdrop. _…free-spirited is fine and dandy, but there is something called table manners…_

As if suddenly realizing what she was doing, Jun flushed furiously. "Ah darn it…I'm making a mess of myself, aren't I?"

"Honestly? Yes," curtly replied Jim.

Jun's face turned even redder out of embarrassment. _Gah…I can't believe it! I'm messing things up already!_

"May I take your order?"

Jun and Jim looked up to see a waiter holding a small checklist in his palm.

"Oh, yes. Lady first," said Jim with a smile.

Jun's embarrassment ebbed slightly as she cleared her throat, saying, "Well um…I'll order the Cajun Shrimp Pasta…and as a side, I'll have some more of the Cheddar Bay Biscuits…that's it."

Jim went next. "Steak and Lobster. Steak will be sirloin, cooked medium-well. No sides for me. Oh, and make sure you don't put any pepper on anything…I'm a tad allergic."

"Okay. Got it. Biscuits will be here in a few minutes." With that said, the waiter left. After he was out of sight, Jun sheepishly said, "Eh…sorry about my manners."

Jim smiled at the apology. "Apology accepted."

Meanwhile, Davis frowned. He had only caught 'shrimp pasta' and 'steak and lobster'. _Oh well. Enough for me to work with. _

"Excuse me."

Davis glanced up at a blonde waitress. She asked, "May I take your order?"

"Nah. Still looking."

The waitress sighed. "Very well." She walked away, leaving Davis to contemplate his next action: to make sure Jun and Jim's meal ended up perfect.

Twenty minutes later…

Davis suddenly blinked; Jim and Jun's waiter had just told them their meal would arrive in a few minutes. _Okay, time to go to work._ Making sure not to get into the couple's lines of sight, he quickly made his way to the other side of the restaurant. He then stopped outside a certain door that had one sign on it:

'EMPLOYEE'S ONLY'

He looked left. Then right. Then, he quickly snuck in.

Minutes later, he quickly exited out…wearing a white cook's outfit that was too large for him; it was on the verge of tripping him up. _Man, got to be careful._

With utmost diligence and silence, Davis calmly walked into the kitchen. If he displayed anything odd, he would undoubtedly be thrown out. That's his goggles were now placed safely in his pocket. Thankfully, his disguise went unnoticed…for now.

Davis immediately searched the shelf that held the dishes about to be delivered to their respective tables. _Shrimp pasta…steak and lobster…where…where…there!_

He found it. The Cajun Shrimp Pasta looked delightfully yummy…and so did the lobster tail on the Steak and Lobster dish…but the sirloin steak looked awfully…bland. _Man. It looks overcooked…_

He needed to make it better. He quickly looked around and saw a shelf of spices. He quickly grabbed a peppershaker and put a few dashes worth on the steak. _Pepper always helps!_

Satisfied that the meals would do well now, Davis left the kitchen to quickly change.

Little did he know that the steak SEEMED overcooked because he always ate his rare…and as for the pepper bit…well, if you've forgotten, look up a few pages to refresh your memory.

…back yet?

Good. Now I can say this:

Uh-oh.

xxxx

Jun gaped with delight as the waiter arrived with their dishes. "Here you go, and enjoy your meal."

"We will!" exclaimed Jun as she prepared to eat away at her pasta…but she restrained herself. _Remember…restraint Jun_. She calmly used her folk to eat a single shrimp and some of the pasta…and then her face lit up. "Wow…Momoe was right!"

"Indeed. The lobster tail tastes exquisite," replied Jim with a satisfied grin. Now there was only the steak to test. He calmly cut a part out and ate it, chewing onto it several times.

Then he froze as a familiar tingling sensation gripped him. _What…but…this is…oh no…they DIDN'T…_

Meanwhile, right at this moment, Davis finally sat back down to watch his handiwork. _Well, Jun looks good…but Jim's dish must rock; he looks absolutely stunned!_

Then he noticed something was wrong when the Kido boy subconsciously gripped the table. Davis frowned as he whispered to himself, "That's not supposed to happen…"

On the other end of the spectrum, Jun was finally realizing something bad was happening to Jim. "Uh…Jim? What's wrong?"

"P…pepper…" muttered Jim before his final allergic reaction set in: impulsive and uncontrollable swallowing. This was doubly dangerous because whatever it was that caused the reaction would be swallowed.

And the piece of steak in his mouth – which had yet to be fully chewed – was swallowed, lodging itself in his larynx.

"Oh my God! Jim! You're choking!" screamed Jun as a fit of panic overwhelmed her.

Davis nearly lost it. _WHAT?_ Things were suddenly going down the tube. How had this happened? Why did Jim have to choke NOW?

That's when he suddenly remembered what Jim had said before he choked: pepper. Davis frowned…and then he gaped. _Pepper…is he allergic to pepper? Then…I…uh oh._

The people in Jim and Jun's immediate surroundings gaped at the sudden event…and then they blinked when they saw Jun administering the Heimlich Maneuver to Jim.

"Come on Jim! Come on…come on…COME ON…" Jun grumbled as she tried to clear Jim's air pipe of the lone piece of steak. "Stupid piece of steak, GET OUT!"

Then Jim coughed.

The piece of edible beef – guilty of trying to choke Jim to death – went flying out of his mouth. Jun didn't bother tracking it; she was too busy checking Jim to see if he was okay.

However, the bit of sirloin flew…and slammed smack-dab into Davis' right eye.

The Child of Miracles was silent.

Then, he slowly pulled it off and stared at with a half-disgusted/half-irritated look on his face. _…eewwww…_

Davis suddenly felt like leaving. As inconspicuously as he could, the Child of Miracles left without eating, drinking, or even buying anything. _I'll just have to wait outside…strike one Davis. Nice work_, he thought bitterly.

Meanwhile, Jim was busy coughing to fully clear his larynx. "Agh…uugh…I thought I said no pepper. Didn't I?"

Jun nodded. "Should we leave a small tip to tell them our displeasure?"

Jim shook his head. "No…it wasn't the waiter's fault. HOWEVER, I hope the restaurant doesn't expect me to pay for the steak."

"Excuse me."

Jim and Jun looked up to see a bald man in a spotless gray business suit. "I am Mr. Takenaka, the manager of this establishment. Is there a problem?"

xxxx

/Outside Red Lobster, 6th Floor, Aquacity, 2:10 PM/

"The manager sure was nice," commented Jun as the couple walked out of the Red Lobster restaurant. "He was nice enough to take the steak off our bill."

Jim nodded. "That was good of him. I like a restaurant that takes responsibility for its employees. Hard to find these days."

"So…what's your grade on this place?" asked Jun.

Jim frowned as he place a hand on his chin, indicating thought. "Hmm…well…all choking aside, I liked the food and the atmosphere. B. You?"

"Um…A- Aside from the choking, I really enjoyed everything." Jun smiled as she held a plastic tray full of Cheddar Bay Biscuits. "And the biscuits ROCKED!"

Jim chuckled at her exuberance. "So…movie starts in about twenty minutes. Shall we go?"

"What movie IS it anyway?" asked Jun.

"Let's see…bah, the movie had a weird title, but I heard it was a good love story," answered Jim, his voice calm and even.

Jun was genuinely surprised. "A love story? REALLY?" Jun was honestly flabbergasted; Jim had had the choice of movie…and he had picked a love story? For her? _Wow…that's sweet…_ "Um…anything else you know about the movie?"

"It's an American one. I…sort of felt like experimenting…" Jim scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

Jun blinked…and then she smiled, mostly due to the irony of it all. "Well, you know what they say: go with the flow."

As the couple continued to walk on, Davis silently followed.

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 2:16 PM/

_DING._

"Welcome to the Inoue Convenience Store!"

"Please take your time, and take what you need!"

As Demiveemon and Poromon happily greeted a new customer, Yolei was angrily using a washrag to clean the freezer doors. _How dare he? HOW DARE HE? How dare he just take off like that in broad daylight where anyone can see him, that idiot! AND HE TOOK MY STEREO! **WHAT THE HECK IS HE UP TO?**_

"Yo."

Yolei tilted her head to see Mantarou grabbing a Pepsi out of the adjacent freezer. "You look ticked. What's up?"

"Davis took my stereo…and to top it off, I think he's gone to spy on Jim and Jun while they're dating!" Yolei groaned as she tried to scrub a spot off the glass. "Gah…it's things like this that just make me want to tear him apart, glue him together, then tear him apart again!"

Mantarou sighed as he turned around. "You must be angry; after all, you're so blinded by rage that you forgot to wet the rag."

"…what?" Yolei looked down at the washrag…and found that it was dry as a bone.

An exasperated facefault occurred moments later.

xxxx

/Outside Theater Complex, Aquacity, Odaiba, 2:25 PM/

"Please enjoy your movie."

"We will," happily replied Jun as the theater employee handed them two tickets. As Jun and Jim walked inside, Davis was on the outside, watching them intently.

_Okay…now to just get into the same theater and make sure nothing bad happens_. To be truthful, Davis didn't even know WHY he was trailing Jun and Jim. He had already nearly caused Jun's boyfriend to choke on a piece of steak!

Oh well. He had come too far to back out now.

As Davis walked towards the ticket stand, he thought about the movie name Jim had uttered. _What was it…what…oh yeah._

The theater employee behind the ticket stand dully asked, "What movie will you be seeing today?"

"Hi. I'd like one ticket to the next showing of _Gigli_."

Yes. The author is officially evil. Let us pause for some maniacal laughter.

_(MWA HA HA HA HA HA!)_

Okay. Back to the story.

xxxx

/Izumi Apartment, Odaiba, 2:49 PM/

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Izzy blinked; a beep had just emerged from his laptop's speakers. Something was happening! He stared at his computer screen and frowned. "Oh boy…"

"Izzy! What's going on?"

The Child of Knowledge looked down to see Tentomon poke his insectoid head out from under his bed. "Trouble Tentomon. A Digimon's emerging into the Real World!"

xxxx

/Theater Complex, Aquacity, Odaiba, 2:50 PM/

Jim Kido had been right: Gigli had a love story…of sorts.

Of course, the 'good' was a complete fabrication. It had only been twenty MINUTES into the feature, and already it had doomed itself.

For one, the movie was not translated. It was English with Japanese subtitles. Secondly, the acting was horrendous. Cardboard was more real-life than the actors' performance. The dialogue had swear words every other sentence. It was horribly, terribly, atrociously, dreadfully, HIDEOUSLY bad.

And now, Davis Motomiya stood up in his seat to express his displeasure in a clever, witty, and intelligent way.

"THIS **SUCKS!**"

With that said, he stormed out of the theater.

He practically spoke for everyone in the theater, of which there weren't many. Many people started to leave. Even though Jun and Jim didn't recognize Davis' voice, they agreed with his sentiments.

Jun asked, "Can we go now?"

"Yes," muttered Jim, upset that his movie choice had bombed so badly. _Next time, I'm reading more than just one review._ As the couple got to their feet, Jim embarrassingly said, "Sorry for the horrible movie choice."

"Hey, it's okay. At least you didn't choke," cracked Jun, trying to lighten the mood. But it didn't decrease her disappointment; the first date was quickly becoming a disaster.

RRRRRRIIIIIPPPP!

Both Jun and Jim blinked; was that the sound of a canvas ripping…?

They both turned around…and paled at the sight of what appeared to be a massive dark T-Rex erupt from the behind the movie canvas, glaring at the moviegoers.

It was a DarkTyrannomon.

And he roared loudly.

"**RRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAARRRR!"**

"AAAAH!" shrieked the moviegoers as they made a break for it. Jun and Jim, on the other hand, were silent…that is, until they yelled in unison.

"NOT AGAIN!"

Yes. As the two turned heels and ran, they found themselves the victim of another Digimon chase scene.

xxxx

Davis harrumphed at the sight of moviegoers fleeing out of the theater. _Heh. Serves that movie right. Who the heck would make that piece of trash?_

Then he frowned as he saw the looks on people's faces…they were looks of…fear. _Huh? That movie shouldn't scare them THAT much…_

"RRRRROOOOAAAARRRR!"

Davis blanched as he saw Jim and Jun rushing out of the theater…and at their heels was a DarkTyrannomon. _WHAT? A DARKTYRANNOMON?_

The beast suddenly stopped its pursuit of Jim and Jun…and turned its attention to Davis. The Champion Digimon snarled as he glared at Davis with blue eyes.

Davis smirked, recognizing the challenge. He looked left. Then right. No one was around; they had already fled. "All right. You want a challenge? You've got it. HOLY ARMOR ENERGIZE!"

In a singular flash of gold, Davis was coated in the Armor of Miracles. DarkTyrannomon scowled as he roared at the Child of Miracles.

Davis smirked as his right fist was coated in golden energy. "MAGNA PUNCH!"

Moments later, DarkTyrannomon howled as he was sent crashing into the theater lobby. Davis calmly walked into the lobby, glancing at a computer sitting behind the desk. It probably served as either the theater's means of tracking sales, or perhaps it was where the security system was monitored. "Okay…time to send you back. No sense in keeping you here." He calmly opened up a slot on the armor covering his right thigh, revealing his pants pocket. He pulled out his blue D-3 and pointed it at the computer monitor. "Digiport open!"

A white glow erupted from the monitor; Davis turned it around and pointed it at the dazed DarkTyrannomon. The Champion Digimon groaned as the white light overwhelmed him…and when the light faded, DarkTyrannomon was gone.

Davis smirked. "Yes!" Then, he frowned. "Oh no; Jun and Jim!" He quickly flew upward…forgetting the fact that he was still inside.

SMASH!

CRASH!

KA-RASH!

He flew upward through the ceiling, as well as the remaining floors of Aquacity. When he finally came into the open sky, Davis looked for the parking lot…and smiled when he saw Jim's Honda Civic taking off down the road. _Yes! Haven't lost sight of them yet!_ Then…he paled. _Oh no! Yolei's stereo!_

He immediately flew towards the alley he had hidden Yolei's stereo in.

xxxx

Davis had hidden Yolei's stereo in a perfect spot. A spot NO ONE would've thought to look…but it still didn't stop him from worrying. _Please be here…_

Then, Davis lifted the dumpster lid quietly. Inside, he saw…fish.

Lots of rotten fish.

Davis immediately resisted the urge to puke due to the smell. "UGH!" Still, he had a stereo to find! He stuck his armored hand into the pile of decaying fish corpses…and then he pulled out the black stereo. It had fish grime and a horrible stink on it…but it was still functional.

Davis sighed with relief. "Thank goodness…" Someone must have used the dumpster while he had been gone. _Ick. This stereo stinks…at least it works._

With that said, he took off into the sky.

But there was one problem; now he had lost track of Jim's car.

_Oh man! Now what am I going to do?_

xxxx

/Park, Odaiba, 6:23 PM/

The sky was darkening now. The horizon still had tinges of red, orange, and blue, with a hint of purple put in. Davis was sitting at the base of a withered cherry blossom tree.

The Child of Miracles sighed as he scratched his air; he had landed in the park and dismissed the Armor of Miracles about twenty minutes ago.

_Man…I couldn't find them! This date was a disaster!_ Davis grumbled; he had nearly caused Jim to choke, and a DarkTyrannomon had ruined the movie they had gone to see – even if it hadn't been worth jack squat – and now he had lost them. _I can't even use the stereo to help them out!_

Davis growled angrily; it was sort of funny in a way. Here he was, so concerned with making sure his sister's love life went on without a hitch. Maybe I'm taking this too hard…

Then, as he looked up, he noticed two figures sitting on a nearby bench. It was…Jun and Jim! _WHAT? How long have they been there? How did I miss them?_

They were looking…downcast…and bored. _Yes…my song will be of use after all!_

He quickly checked the CD in the stereo; to his pleasure, he found that his _Kingdom Hearts_ soundtrack was still in there. _Yes!_

He immediately began sneaking around the bench.

xxxx

Jim stared up at the sky quietly…and then he released a sigh of displeasure. The first date had been a total, unequivocal disaster. As a matter of fact, he had been here on this bench – with Jun right beside him – for the last few hours, staring up at the sky…thinking.

The elder Kido chuckled scowled lightly. _I shouldn't be taking this so hard…it was only one date. It doesn't mean anything…but I shouldn't be surprised either. I never was good with women…_

Jun, meanwhile, was hunched over, twiddling her thumbs nervously. Her thoughts practically mirrored Jim's…except they were of a more desperate tone. _Oh man…I always wanted my first date to be a cherished event…I wanted it to become a cherished memory…but this has been nothing but a big mess! What will Momoe think? What will my other friends at school think?_

Then, she sighed. _I…I'm being an idiot. Just because things went wrong, I'm totally going overboard…and I shouldn't…_

"Jun."

Jun tilted her head towards Jim, who was looking at her quietly. "Yes?"

The elder Kido child sighed. "I…I wanted to apologize. This date hasn't exactly been…well, adequate."

"No need to take all the blame. I share some of it too," replied Jun. She had picked the restaurant where Jim had choked. He had picked the movie that was extremely bad.

Jim grumbled as he stood up. "But…I don't think we should be taking this all too seriously. It was only one date…and in my opinion, one date's not enough to change what we already share, you know?"

"…yeah," replied Jun with a small smile. After everything the two had gone through in the Odaiba War…she doubted the bond that they shared would ever truly break.

Suddenly, music erupted from the bushes behind them.

_(Cue 'Simple and Clean' from Kingdom Hearts)_

Jun and Jim immediately stood up, staring at the bushes behind them. "What…?" said Jim out of confusion.

Jun frowned; was there a stereo in there? And that hair…and those goggles…

Then realization hit her. _So…it's you._ She immediately wondered how long he had been following her…but then she put those thoughts aside. Davis had given her a gift…and she was going to use it.

"Jim?"

Jim blinked as Jun suddenly grasped his hand. "Yes?" He stared in her eyes, and they said it all; his confused expression melted into a calm smile as he asked, "What is it?"

"…shall we dance?"

Jim smiled as he tightly held onto Jun's hand. "Of course."

Jun and Jim smiled silently; Jim placed his right hand on Jun's hip, while she placed her left hand on Jim's shoulder. Their other hands clasped each other, and the silently began dancing in the fading twilight of Saturday.

Whenever Jim gazed into Jun's amber eyes, he felt like staring at them forever. No other girl he had ever met had this affect on him…and there was a good reason why. Jim knew what it was…and so did Jun.

As his smile grew wider, they continued to dance.

Jun couldn't help but marvel at the wondrous depths that Jim's kindness went to. In reality, she owed him more than she could ever repay…had it not been for him, she wouldn't be standing there that day. She wouldn't be sane. Heck, she wouldn't even be alive…

From the bushes, Davis was smiling with glee as he watched the couple dance. _Yes! Booyah!_

Suddenly, Jun tripped. "Ah!"

Before she could collide with the ground, a hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her up. Jim smiled. "Letting the woman fall during a dance is a no-no."

Jun couldn't help but lightly giggle at that…and then wonder how many times Jim had – metaphorically speaking – saved her from falling…falling to the ground, and into the depths of depression… "Yes…but I was expecting a knight in shining armor."

Jim chuckled as he twirled Jun around; then, he joked, "Sorry. You'll have to settle for a college student."

"I wouldn't settle for anything less," replied Jun with a smile.

The dancing continued on…slowly…and the two were savoring every moment of it.

"Jim…thank you…for everything you've done for me," said Jun out of the blue.

Jim quietly nodded in response. "I…didn't really do that much. I was just doing what had to be done. After all," He then gave her a playful wink. "I can't fail my patients, now can I?"

Jun lightly nudged his shoulder. "You goof…"

_I'm…kinda jealous of you…sis…_

Davis couldn't help but quietly sigh from behind the bushes. Whenever he heard of this song, he ALWAYS imagined him and Kari dancing to it…he had fantasized about it for almost two years now. Fantasized about Kari being his girl…

But in the end, it would all be up to her…and until then, Davis would have to continue dreaming…and waiting until he was old enough to go out on a REAL date.

__

Suddenly, Jun and Jim stopped dancing. The sun was just a thin sliver on the horizon, illuminating their bodies with a red outline…and they were in a calm, almost tranquil embrace.

Jun suddenly smiled. "So…what do you think of our first date?"

__

Jim lightly replied, "Well…it was unique and unorthodox…but I'd like to end it on a high note."

Jun giggled as she wrapped her arms around Jim's neck. "So would I…"

Then their lips met. They quietly, yet hungrily kissed each other in the waning daylight. Even after all the chaos that had been their first date, they still shared a bond…and the bond would never be broken.

_My work is done_. Davis quickly turned off the stereo and snuck away. He had to get home…and this time around, he was going to take the bus.

_(End 'Simple and Clean')_

xxxx

/Mantarou and Davis' Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:30 PM/

Davis grumbled. "Man…wish I could've had lunch…"

"That's what happens when you stay out all day. At least you had leftovers for dinner," muttered Mantarou from the top bunk. Demiveemon was already snoring soundly on Davis' pillow.

"Eh…at least I did some good," replied Davis with a smile.

"After what you told me, you nearly caused Jim to die," replied Mantarou. "And even though you sent that dinosaur back to the Digital World, you still caused a lot of property damage. You also took Yolei's stereo without asking, and you made it smell like rotting fish carcasses."

Davis sweatdropped. "Eh…but think about the end result!" Then, something clicked. "Hey…I just remembered! I never told Yolei why she acting so happy earlier!"

"Oh. That?" Mantarou sighed as yawned. "She told us at dinner while you and Jun were still out. She said that she had been informed by Izzy Izumi that she would take his place as president of the computer club starting in January."

Silence.

Then, an exasperated groan. "That's IT?" That's definitely not what HE had had in mind. _Man, talk about anti-climatic._

Oh well. He had done SOME good that day…and best of all, Jun hadn't found out!

"Oh Davis…"

Davis froze…and he turned around to glance at the open door.

Jun was standing there. Behind her were Yolei, Chizuru, Momoe, Sasuke, and Subaru. Davis' sister calmly said, "I appreciate you trying to help out with my date and all…" Then she walked in…and began strangling Davis. "BUT SPYING ON DATERS IS RUDE! DO IT TO ME AGAIN AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

"AGH! BUT I ONLY WANTED TO HELP! ACK! **AIR!**"

"Shouldn't we stop her?" asked Momoe.

"Nah," happily said Yolei. "Let her continue for a few more minutes." Besides, he deserves it after what he did to my stereo.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 9: Bonding (Mantarou)

xxxx

Author's Notes: Wow. This chapter turned out longer than I expected. O.o;

Anyhow…so far, the prime focus of this story has been on Davis, Yolei, and their partners. However, that's about to change; after all, it's not just Yolei, but an entire family that Davis must now live with…and in the Bonding Arc, Davis will bond with each member of the family one at a time.

And next chapter, he shall spend some quality time with Mantarou in the first of several chapters that will be spread out throughout the story.

See you soon, and please review!

(UPDATE 05/01/2005: Had to remove the lyrics of Simple and Clean. Stupid FFnet.)


	9. Bonding: Mantarou

Standard Disclaimer: If I owned Digimon, the music would've been done by John Williams.

Author's Notes: Behold; this is Mantarou's time in the spotlight!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 9: Bonding (Mantarou)

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Sunday, November 21st, 7:03 AM/

"Davish! Wakie wakie!"

Davis opened one eye to see Demiveemon standing on his face. "Hey…what are you doing…?"

"You've got to wake up! School's at 8 AM everyday! Remember?"

Davis frowned. "Demiveemon…"

The tiny In-Training continued to speak. "You told me to wake you up whenever your alarm didn't work! It didn't even go off at all today! So I'm trying to wake you up, and I did!"

"DEMIVEEMON," sternly said Davis, his voice still sounding slurred from having just woken up. "It's Sunday…I don't go to school today…"

This caused the little Digimon to sweatdrop. "…oh. I forgot."

Davis resisted the urge to facefault. "Eh…since I'm up anyway, I might as well go eat breakfast." The Child of Miracles pushed away the blankets covering his body and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Demiveemon hopped down after him and scampered behind his heels.

Davis Inoue lazily walked out of his room, his hand scratching his scalp in silence. He pulled his goggles out of the pocket of his boxers and placed them upon his head. As he walked into the kitchen, a somewhat laidback voice called out to him.

"Morning goggle-boy."

Davis looked ahead to see Mantarou sitting at the kitchen table, leaning back in his chair. He wore a white T-shirt and white boxer shorts: his nightclothes. His glasses sat loosely on his nose. He glanced at Davis and asked, "Sleep well?"

Davis just nodded quietly. In the days since he and Jun had moved in, Davis hadn't quite figured Mantarou out just yet. The 20-year old was something of an enigma; he appeared at first glance to be something of a lazy bum. His demeanor and laidback attitude seemed to scream that sort of thing. Yet, he was a hard-working college student, and he worked at the convenience store…but his calm, almost slack disposition seemed to counter that. Plus, unlike the stereotypical adolescent, Mantarou preferred to spend all of his time at home.

To be honest, Davis couldn't quite wrap his head around Mantarou. He was like a living, breathing paradox.

These thoughts continued to pound Davis as he pulled up a chair opposite of Mantarou and sat down. He quietly glanced down at the table in front of Mantarou; there were no dishes there. "Why are you sitting here? Aren't you going to eat?"

Mantarou nudged his head towards the kitchen. "Yolei and Chizuru are making breakfast."

Davis couldn't help but notice the strange look of minute disgust that crossed the older boy's face. "…I take it that's bad?"

"…their cooking is…less than desirable…" replied Mantarou. He quickly leaned forward and whispered, "They're making scrambled eggs and toast. Avoid Yolei's toast at all costs. When selecting your eggs, choose from the sides on Yolei's pan, and choose from the center on Chizuru's. Trust me."

Davis arched an eyebrow. "And…why are you telling me this? To get me the sour bits?"

"Nah. You're the new guy. Newbies get the perks," cracked Mantarou with a chuckle.

Davis blinked out of slight curiosity. "Uh…thanks…I think…" _Man, why is this guy confusing me so much?_

"BREAKFAST IS READY!"

Davis and Mantarou tilted their heads toward the kitchen. Yolei smiled happily as she walked towards the table, a spatula in her hands. "Come on and prepare your plates!"

Chizuru then walked towards the table, her face contorted into her same disenchanted look. "Come on boys," she said in her usual monotone voice. "Or else it'll get cold."

Davis sighed as he got up. "I guess I'll go first…" He walked into the kitchen…and froze. "…dang."

"What? Davis, if you're about to make a crack about my cooking, I don't want to hear it!" roared Yolei.

"They work fast," finished the Child of Miracles.

This caused expressions of confusion to cross Yolei and Chizuru's faces. They turned around…and saw two familiar Digimon scarfing down on the eggs and the toast.

Demiveemon and Poromon.

"**YOU TWO?"** shrieked Yolei. **_"GET AWAY FROM BREAKFAST!"_**

"Uh oh. We've been spotted!" exclaimed Poromon, his beak lined with bits of crumbling toast.

"Running time!" yelled Demiveemon. The two Digimon hopped down onto the floor and ran at high speed out of the kitchen.

Yolei, Chizuru, Davis, and Mantarou were silent.

Finally, Mantarou said, "Maybe we should just have cereal."

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 11:09 AM/

"Welcome to the Inoue Convenience Store!"

"Please take your time, and take what you need!"

Davis tilted his head backwards to see Demiveemon and Poromon greeting a new customer. Although the female adult was quite perplexed at the sight of the two In-Training Digimon, she went about her business in the store.

Davis sighed as he glanced through the freezer doors, searching for a drink. Since there was nothing else to do around here, he felt like going to the Digital World. Just for nostalgia's sake.

_Ah. Here we go_. He grabbed a Pepsi out of the freezer door and walked towards the front counter, fishing his pocket for change all the while.

The moment Davis got to the front counter, he put the Pepsi down, as well as the change. "One Pepsi please."

"Sure thing," commented Momoe. As she opened up the cash register, Davis asked, "Where's Mantarou?"

"In the supply room with mom and dad. They're reorganizing some things," replied the eldest daughter of the Inoue family.

"Oh," muttered Davis as Momoe counted his change. "…I have a question about Mantarou."

"Shoot."

"Well…I'm sort of confused. Mantarou doesn't act like most older kids. I mean, judging from how most teenagers are, I would've thought he wanted to get out of the house by now," commented Davis.

Momoe was silent. Then, she leaned closer and asked, "If you were old enough to go to college, would you want to stay home or move into a dorm?"

"Dorm! Definitely!" Davis smiled at the thought; moving into a dorm would be perfect! He wouldn't have to endure Yolei's presence anymore! Davis then stared at Momoe's eyes, expecting to see some kind of disappointment etched onto her face.

Instead, he saw a smile. Momoe then calmly said, "I see…well, I suppose you know what you want."

This caused Davis to raise an eyebrow out of confusion. "…okay…" He grabbed his Pepsi and looked at Demiveemon. "Yo! You want to come with me to the Digital World?"

"YEP!" yelled Demiveemon as he suddenly appeared on Davis' shoulder.

"WAH!" yelped Davis as he flinched; how did Demiveemon move so quickly like that? "Please don't do that again…"

"Sorry," apologized Demiveemon as Davis walked back upstairs toward the apartment.

xxxx

/File Island, Andromon's Factory, 11:31 AM/

To Davis' surprise, he had not emerged in the all-too familiar cave upon selecting File Island as his destination (thankfully, Yolei had not been in her room at the time, allowing him access to her computer). Instead, he had emerged atop a large veranda that was situated on a metallic tower. That tower was only one of many in a twisted maze of pipes, walls, corridors, and cylinders. Also, from above, one could see a number of Guardomon and Mechanorimon walking about the city, doing menial tasks. It was like a tremendous factory…but the Digiport Davis had emerged from had provided him a nice view. Apparently, the Guardians had been making new portals for moving between worlds, since many of them had been destroyed during the destructive dominion of the Digimon Emperor, UmbraDevimon, and Darkheart.

Davis sighed as he gazed out towards the center of File Island. The immediate area around the large metallic factory was like the barren cliffs that the Forbidden City sat on; desolate, rocky, and empty. However, the further his eyes gazed toward the center, he saw fields of grass and forests rise up. They were lush and beautiful…but it still couldn't take away from the horrific picture that was Infinity Mountain.

Or rather, what was left of it. During a heated battle between Tai's Wargreymon, Shaun's (Wargreymon), and their opponent Blackwargreymon, the mighty mountain had been reduced to rubble. To see something so mighty and tall fall into shambles…

"Veemon."

"Yes Davish?" asked Veemon. Speaking of Veemon, he had digivolved to Rookie immediately after entering the Digiworld, seeing as how he was more powerful in his place of origin.

"Do you think that we did more good than the bad that we caused?" asked Davis, his tone somber.

Veemon smiled innocently as he plopped down beside his partner, his tiny legs dangling over the metal platform. "Of course Davish! You guys did tons of good stuff! You defeated the Digimon Emperor, you defeated Chimeramon, you defeated UmbraDevimon, you defeated the Gravemon, you defeated Darkheart, you defeated Demon and his Demon Corps, and you even beat big bad BelialMyotismon! And what do you mean by 'bad'? You didn't cause any bad at all!"

Davis smiled slightly at his partner's innocence. "Well, Demon was technically absorbed by Myotismon so he could mega-digivolve…and as for what I mean by 'bad'…I mean everything those bad guys did to get at us. I mean, look at Infinity Mountain…and look at what happened to Odaiba!"

"So? Huanglongmon fixed Odaiba!" happily countered Veemon.

Davis didn't say anything. He just sighed again as he leaned back and glanced down his shirt; the Crest of Miracles – which was lodged squarely in his sternum – glistened a golden sheen as he looked at it, as if responding to his gaze.

He could still remember the pain he went through to claim the Crest of Miracles.

He could still remember the pain of his heart being shattered by UmbraDevimon's dark devices in the Digimon's attempt to corrupt.

He could still remember the pain he had inflicted as Darkheart.

He could still remember the pain his soul had endured when he learned that his parents were dead…

He could still…remember…the pain…

Davis subconsciously brought a hand up to his cheek. His gloved hand returned with a tear.

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips.

"Davish?" asked Veemon. "What's wrong?"

"Look at me…the leader of the New Digidestined…crying…" _Darn it, don't cry_, thought Davis as he mentally scolded himself. _You're supposed to be strong…you're not supposed to cry…even though there's no one around to see you…well, there's Veemon…but he's my partner…so it'll be okay…right…?_

So he cried, much to the shock of Veemon. "Davish! What's happening?"

"Nothing…I'm just acknowledging the fact that I'll never know what it's like to be part of a family again." Davis angrily pulled up his shirt, pointing at the Crest lodged in his chest. "Look at me! THIS ISN'T NORMAL! The other Digidestined got tags to hold their crests, but I had to use my freakin' SKIN! And when I was Darkheart, I nearly brought about the end of EVERYTHING!" A clenched fist angrily pounded the metal floor of the veranda. "And earlier today, I find myself wondering why I can't even figure out Mantarou…"

Davis turned towards Veemon, who was shocked to see nothing but sorrow in the boy's eyes. "Don't you get it? I may be an Inoue…but I can't adapt…they're not family. They're like strangers to me…how can they compare to my real family? There's only Jun now…but she's already settled into her spot as an Inoue nicely…"

He angrily pounded both fists as he cried at the sky. **"SO WHY CAN'T I? WHY CAN'T I ADAPT? WHY CAN'T I FORGET MY PAIN?** **_WHY!"_**

"You're quite loud, you know."

The mechanical voice caused Veemon and Davis to whirl around. Standing in the door that led to a way down the tower was a tall Digimon that stood at ten feet high. With the exception of his right leg, his left elbow, his left kneecap, and his face, shimmering light gray metal covered his entire body. The metal around his abdomen was segmented to give off the illusion of a 'six-pack', and his shoulder guards looked like metal human skulls. His arms were completely covered by silver metal, but a flexible dark metal covered the right elbow, whereas the left elbow was visible, showing his lavender skin. Also, his long hands differed in appearance; the left was made of silver, whereas the right was made of the dark metal. With the exception of bands of gray metal around the ankle and kneecap and some loose red wires dangling from tattered remains of dark fabric, the entire right leg was visible. The same couldn't be said for the left leg, which was covered completely by gray metal. His feet ended in three toes; however, the left one was covered by a metallic boot, whereas the right one was visible, revealing his three brown talons. More red wires dangled from his back, and two black wires dangled from the back of his head. Also, a metal mask fashioned like a skull covered his face; only his red eyes and humanoid mouth were visible.

"Who are you?" asked Veemon.

"I am Andromon, the proprietor of this factory. I work here with fellow machine Digimon, creating spare parts for other machine Digimon that need them." His red eyes stared quietly at Davis; he could recognize the tears. "What troubles you human?"

"None of your business," huffily said Davis.

The Ultimate Digimon frowned. _Those goggles…that hair…_ "Are you Tai Kamiya?"

"WHAT? NO!" retorted Davis.

"Then you must be Davis Motomiya."

"First of all, it's Davis INOUE." Davis mentally cringed; the name STILL sounded horrible. "And second of all, how do you know my name?"

"We Digimon love to gossip," replied Andromon. "Word goes around that the leader of the new Digidestined is a goggle-boy with puffy hair, like Tai Kamiya of the older group."

"Wait! You know Tai?" asked Davis out of bewilderment.

Andromon nodded. "Of course. I am a dear friend of the Digidestined. However, I was under the impression Digidestined traveled as a group."

Davis snorted. "Eh…I'm just here with my partner for a little while."

"Apparently," stated Andromon.

Silence.

Finally, Veemon asked, "So…why are you here Andromon?"

"I heard voices, so I came to investigate. Why are you here?"

Veemon shrugged in reply. "I don't know. Ask Davish."

Davis was silent.

"Davish? Why won't you talk?"

"Because it's none of his business," muttered Davis.

Andromon calmly raised his finger. "Actually, my audio sensors picked up every word of your conversation. I am quite curious as to what you need help adapting with, however."

Davis froze. _…this just isn't my day…_ "Look, I said it's none of your business!"

"I'm only trying to offer help," replied Andromon.

Davis said nothing…that is, until he stood up and pointed at the ruins of Infinity Mountain. "My life is like Infinity Mountain right now: in shambles. I don't think anything I can do can return my life back to the way it used to be…so there's no use trying to help."

Before Andromon could respond, his red eyes suddenly focused in on the air above the mountain's ruins. "Wait…my visual sensors detect a Guardian Beast hovering over Infinity Mountain's ruins. It's Baithumon!"

"BAITHUMON?" yelped Davis and Veemon out of surprise. Baithumon was one of the four Guardian Beasts: the White Tiger of the West. Davis and Veemon stared at the little speck in the air. What was Baithumon up to?

xxxx

Baithumon's four eyes stared at the ruinous mountain base quietly. "The rest of the island is in harmony…now there is only one last thing left to accomplish."

He roared as the metallic shin guards on his front legs glowed with white light. **"VAJRA!"** Lightning bolts erupted from his claws, arching downward towards the ground at blinding speed. In mere seconds, the bolts had burrowed under the mountain.

Then, a massive quake could be felt at the base of the mountain's ruins…and with surprising suddenness, a massive spire of rock and stone arose. It was easily as tall as the Infinity Mountain of old, if not larger.

Baithumon sighed with content at the sight. "Infinity…the Mountain of Eternity is whole once again…and thus, so is the whole island."

With his final goal accomplished, the Guardian Beast set off eastward towards Folder. There was more work to be done.

xxxx

"Neat," commented Veemon.

Davis was in absolute shock; for such a tremendous mountain to be brought up so quickly…was that the power of the Guardian Beasts?

"Apparently, a mountain is not such a difficult thing to resurrect after all," said Andromon with a small smile.

At this, Davis could only smile. "…yeah. Maybe so…"

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, 12:05 PM/

"Ah…nothing like a nice relaxing bath to soothe the body," commented Yolei as she walked into her room. Her lavender hair was soaked, and her body was covered by a red bath robe and nothing more. She had to get changed. "Okay…let's see, what to wear…"

In a matter of minutes, she had chosen a purple T-shirt and a red skirt to wear. She quietly disrobed and-

FLASH!

Yolei yelped as a sudden flash of light erupted from her computer's monitor…and when the light faded, Davis and Demiveemon were on her floor, their faces implanted into the carpet. The Child of Caring immediately flushed red. _WHAT…ARE…THEY…DOING…IN…**HERE?**_

Davis groaned as he tried to get to his feet. _Mental note: land on your feet next time_. As he got to his feet, he raised his head just in time to see a fist crash into his face.

_POW!_

_SMACK!_

_BAM! _

**DOOSH!**

Davis and Demiveemon yelped as they were roughly kicked out of Yolei's room. The female stuck her head out the door, roared, **_"AND STAY OUT!"_** and immediately got back in, slamming the door shut.

Demiveemon grimaced as he sat up. "What was that for?"

Davis grumbled as he rubbed his aching forehead. Truthfully, all he had seen was Yolei's fist, so he didn't know why. "Who knows…"

At least he didn't have to use pepper spray on his eyes again.

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, 12:30 PM/

Davis sighed as he sat on the bunk bed in silence. Demiveemon was sitting on his pillow, taking a small nap. _Man…I know I can beat this 'adaptation bug'…but how the heck does Jun do it? She's gotten along no problemo…how does she do it?_

"Yo."

Davis tilted his head toward the door to see Mantarou standing in the doorway. "What're you doing in here?" asked the Child of Miracles.

"I'm on break…and seeing as how you're looking a little down on your luck, I think I've got a remedy for that." Mantarou immediately walked over to his closet and started burrowing through its innards.

Moments later, Davis saw Mantarou pulling out a large black console with a green dot in the middle. "What's that?"

"An Xbox," replied Mantarou.

Davis blinked out of surprise as Mantarou began hooking it up to his TV. "Xbox? You mean the American console? I thought it stunk."

"Nah. That's just what other people say. It's just biased against; after all, not everyone trusts an American console in Japan," replied Mantarou.

Davis got off the bed and walked towards Mantarou, an expression of curiosity on his face. "So why do YOU have one?"

"Well, when I was given the choice to buy one last year, I chose this one. It was something new and different…besides, it's the underdog! I can't help but love the underdog aspect," answered the eldest Inoue child. "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anyone at my college who's willing to play it with me. Guess they're just too prejudiced to play it. Once I beat the only game I have for it, I didn't have much reason to play it anymore. But since you look liked you needed some cheering up…"

Davis only blinked as Mantarou turned on his TV, and this Xbox. "…okay…" He frowned as he picked up the unfamiliar Controller-S. "Why'd you buy two controllers?"

Mantarou only smiled as he inserted _Halo_ into the disc tray. "For the very eventuality that I would be able to play with someone."

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, 3:34 PM/

**_BANG!_**

"HAH! STUCK YOU!"

_BADDABADDABADDA!_

"Revenge is best served with lead!"

"Aw MAN!"

**KABOOM!**

"FEEL THE WRATH OF ROCKETS!"

"Owch."

Three hours had passed.

And Davis had completely forgotten about his problems. He was having too much fun to care. Mantarou looked pretty happy as well.

Thus far, Davis and Mantarou had played only multiplayer matches during the entire time. It had been a furious competition of Slayer, Oddball, and King-of-the-Hill matches.

Flying bullets.

Soaring grenades.

Roaring rockets.

Searing plasma.

Satisfying punches to the back.

It had been a blast. _Man! This is the bomb!_ thought Davis with glee. _Why the heck do people dislike the Xbox? This is awesome!_

_CHOOM!_

"HAH! SNIPED YA!" cheered Davis.

Suddenly, the disembodied voice in the game said, **"GAME OVER."**

Mantaoru chuckled. "Heh…looks like you beat me again. That makes fifty wins for you, and thirty-nine for me. You learn quickly."

Davis couldn't help but smile cheerfully. "Heh…thanks." His expression suddenly turned a bit sad. "Still…why'd you offer to help me like this? I didn't ask you for any help."

This got an expression of amusement from Mantarou. "Do I have to answer this? We're brothers now. You were down. I helped you out. That's what brothers do."

That's when it clicked. Davis suddenly realized why Jun had been able to adapt so quickly.

It was because of Momoe, her best friend. She was such a good friend, that the two were practically like sisters anyway…so she had been able to adapt quickly. But Davis had had no one similar to bond to…

"Oh, I'm sorry. You're not ready for the whole 'brother' thing yet, are you? I understand; I'll wait until you're ready," suddenly said Mantarou.

Davis resisted the urge to get all mushy…but he did let one thought slip. _…thanks Mantarou…_ "Eh, no need to say anything…"

SLAM.

Mantarou and Davis looked at the door to see none other than Momoe. "Oh big brother…" she said in a sing-song voice.

Then, the inner demon that seemed to be a characteristic of females in the Inoue family appeared. "YOU NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK!"

Mantarou suddenly sweatdropped. "…oh. Yeah. Heh…" He glanced at Davis. "I'll have to continue this later. It's been great playing with you Davis." Mantarou started to stand-

"Wait. Momoe, I want to play one last match with Mantarou."

Momoe sighed. "Fine…one more." She then turned around and walked away from the room. Mantarou blinked out of surprise as he sat back down…but then he smiled again. "So…still want to play?"

"Yes…but this time with a wager." Davis smirked as cracked his knuckles. "Here's the deal…if I win, you have to call me Davis. If I lose…you get to call me your brother."

Mantarou actually arched an eyebrow out of surprise. "Huh…interesting wager. Okay…I'm game. What are the rules of the game?"

"Slayer on Hang Em' High. Sniper rifle and pistols only. First to 25 kills wins. Ready?"

Mantarou grinned at the sight of Davis' cocky grin. "Yeah. I'm ready."

And so they played.

And Davis ended up losing.

However…he lost on purpose.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 10: Weirdest. Dream. Ever.

xxxx

Author's Notes: FINALLY! I finished it!

Oh, and as for the next chapter…many of you think I'm the best Digimon writer on FFnet today. I don't think so.

However…what happens if I write badly…on purpose?

Prepare for Davis' weirdest dream ever, which will consist of bad grammar, horrible clichés, terrible puns, and so many fan fiction clichés you'll want to die!

See you soon and please review!


	10. Weirdest Dream Ever

Standard Disclaimer: You know the drill by now.

Author's Notes: …I am **_BEYOND_** infuriated. Who reported my story in? WHO? God, I did it as a parody. **A fricken' PARODY!** Can't anyone take a _JOKE?_ Who had enough of a big, bitter, and angry grudge against me to **_REPORT_** me?

God…in hindsight, making it into script as a parody was a bad idea. But you know what? I didn't care. I STILL don't care. If at all possible, I'd repost the chapter (and the story, of course) in its entirety just to prove that I stand up for my writing. AND to spite the anonymous reporter. Of course, that would result in me getting banned.

I'll repost the story without the script…but seriously. I'm so upset now that I want to kick my shins.

And if I am reported in even **_AFTER_** I've removed the script…I'll simply have to make a separate website to upload my stories. **You hear me?** I won't stop writing because of this pathetic insult on my writing integrity. **_YOU HEAR ME?_**

Gah…read on.

xxxx

Chapter 10: Weirdest. Dream. Ever.

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Wednesday, November 23rd, 10:23 PM/

"You should've added soy sauce."

"Eh Mantarou, you worry too much."

"I'm SERIOUS bro. You're going to regret it."

Davis scoffed as he calmly inserted his lower body beneath the covers of the bottom bunk. "Geez! So I ate your mom's miso soup without soy sauce. Big deal! It tasted just fine!"

Mantarou sighed from atop the top bunk, his body hidden from view. "That's not that point…"

What was all the fuss about, you might ask. Well, Subaru had decided to cook dinner tonight. Normally, that wasn't bad. Heck, her cooking was actually quite good.

However, she had decided to make her homemade brand of miso soup.

AND SHE HAD FORGOTTEN TO ADD SOY SAUCE.

You see, the first time Subaru had made her homemade miso soup – which had been well over five years ago – every member of the Inoue had devoured the good concoction eagerly.

However, during the night…they had experienced…problems.

To be fair, no one (besides the cook, of course) knew what mixture of special ingredients Subaru had added to make her miso soup 'homemade' (for the uninitiated, miso is a thick, fermented paste made of cooked soybeans, salt, and often rice or barley; it is usually used to make soups and sauces in Japan). All they knew was that something had to change for the second iteration.

By the time Subaru made her miso soup for the fifth time about two weeks later, the magical ingredient to alleviate their 'problems' had surfaced: soy sauce. Add soy sauce to the meal, and it counters whatever it is that gives the miso soup the problem in the first place.

Even so, there were times when Subaru would forget to ADD soy sauce…and tonight had been one of those times. That's why they would have to add it themselves.

Unfortunately…Davis hadn't.

"It doesn't sound too bad! Besides, Davish can handle anything!" cheered Demiveemon, who sat on Davis' head quietly.

"Darn right!" boasted Davis.

Mantarou sighed again. "Fine then…don't say I didn't warn you. G'night bro."

"Night Mantarou," replied Davis as all three of them went to sleep in the darkness.

Minutes later…

…_squuuuurrrrriiiiikkk…_

The icky sound was subsequently followed by Davis leaping out of bed and running for the bathroom.

Five minutes later, he walked back in, looking slightly relieved.

"Number two?" said Mantarou, his voice piercing through the silence of the dark room.

Davis mumbled, "Yeah…nothing big though." He calmly got back under the covers and went to sleep.

Mantarou sighed again. If he was right, Davis' problems were just beginning…next up were the dreams…the weird, weird dreams…

xxxx

/Davis' Subconscious, 11:59 PM/

At first, there had been nothing but the calm blackness of a dreamless sleep.

_(As it should be.)_

Then, a few minutes ago, the blackness turned into a never-ending realm of white.

_(Odd.)_

Then, one minute ago, a badly drawn figure of Big Ben sprouted out of nowhere.

_(I don't like where this is going…)_

The clock struck midnight. Bells rang.

THEN EVERYTHING HAPPENED AT ONCE.

Flowers sprouted out of oxygen molecules. Cars grew out of the ground, which was now a gigantic M.C Escher painting. Airplanes flew upside-down in the sky. Stick-figure people began shooting each other with nuclear bombs. How that was possible, I don't know.

_(What the crap is this? WHAT TRAVESTY IS THIS? This is the unholy spawn of Satan! I SHALL NOT TOLERATE THIS!)_

Lightning rumbled in the distance, and the unholy scene of randomness was struck down! Now it was time for real idiocy!

_(God help us all.)_

Davis stomped down the street angrily. He was MAD! His footsteps were like earthquakes on the cement! Dogs cowered in fear! Cats hissed at his pants! Popcorn was spilled! He was ANGRY!

"I AM ANGRY!"

Why was he angry?

"ANGER!"

He had gotten detention for burping! Such an innocent act got him into detention! So what if it had been in the teacher's face? Oh, the thought of his 3,235.2345217th detention made him FURIOUS! He felt like growling at something!

"GRRRRRRRR!"

Children screamed! Ice cream was dropped! The world's happiness levels dropped down by 500 percent! Even the Grim Reaper cowered in fear of him! The Angel of Death was so scared of Davis that he resigned, gave his job to a hobo, moved to Hawaii, and jumped into a volcano so he could die all over again! Such was Davis' anger!

Davis roared, "FURY!"

Death wailed, "BURNING!"

The hobo squealed, "I'M IMPORTANT!"

No one cares about a hobo!

"WAAAH!"

And there was another thing; Kari had denied him a date! He was the Child of Miracles! He was Mr. Terrific (although not the superhero by the same name!)! How could anyone deny his boyish charms? How could anyone deny his suaveness? How could anyone bump into him? Speaking of which…

BUMP!

Davis cried, "I'VE BEEN BUMPED INTO!"

HORROR OF HORRORS! Who would dare bump into the super-angry Davis? Who I ask you? WHO?

Dr. Seuss answered, "Horton heard of a Who!"

Not that kind of who!

The Unknown bumper said, "I am sorry for bumping into you!"

Davis blinked. "Why kind of name is that?"

The name was revealed for everyone to see! The girl had five million pigtails, and her hair was colored white! In fact, it was made of diamonds! And her eyes! They flashed all the colors of the rainbow! They were bedazzling! They were blinding! Cars crashed because the drivers were blinded!

The car drivers yelled, "OUCH!" Their cars screamed, "PAIN!"

Davis couldn't believe the girl's beauty! Such beauty…and her skin was silky-smooth! He wouldn't be surprised if her sweat was milk and honey! What was this girl's name? He had to know!

Davis hurriedly asked, "Tell me your name, beautiful stranger who has captivated me like a vixen even though I just met you ten seconds ago! Is your name 'Unknown' ?"

Unknown giggled. "Nope! My name is…Mary Sue!"

Thunder crashed! All over the world, fan fic writers suddenly cringed, feeling the threat of apocalypse growing! Toei's stock fell five billion zillion gajillion points, for the doom of Digimon had been spelt! The gods of Olympus took a vacation to the Underworld to see Hades, because nothing could save Earth now! All because of one girl named Mary Sue!

Mary Sue sweetly asked, "Hi! Who are you?"

Davis eagerly replied, "I am Davis!"

Mary Sue smiled. "Nice to meet you!"

Suddenly, a punk walked by and did something no punk should EVER do to a Mary Sue! He committed a cardinal sin, an act that would be punishable by a fate worse than death! To melt your own skin would be PREFERABLE to doing what the punk just did.

The punk gave a wolf whistle. "Hey BABY! You look HOT!"

Mary Sue's eyes suddenly lit aflame as she reared her hand, screaming, "HENTAI!"

She smacked the punk hard! He flew backwards through a building! The punk was sent all the way to the sun! People thought Godzilla was attacking! In all actuality, Godzilla was vacationing with Mothra in France, crushing the Eiffel Tower! But back to the story! Davis was amazed!

Davis, stricken by awe, exclaimed, "I am amazed! Are you a black belt?"

Mary Sue giggled. "Nope! I've never taken karate! But a sweet, innocent, perfect girl like me has to be tough in this world!"

Davis was shocked. "Wow! Tough, yet sweet! Beautiful, yet innocent! I have found perfection!"

Yes! Mary Sue was perfection! More perfect than an OREO cookie! More perfect than gold! More perfect than a 100-percent savings deal at Wal-Mart! These three became jealous of Mary Sue's perfection.

OREO Cookie yelled, "I AM JEALOUS! EAT ME!"

Gold roared, "I AM SHINY **AND** JEALOUS!"

Wal-Mart shouted, "BUY FROM ME SO I CAN CONSUME YOUR SOUL! OH, AND I AM JEALOUS!"

They were so jealous that they became allies with one goal! To destroy Mary Sue!

"YARGH!"

"ROAR!"

"GIVE ME YOUR WALLET!"

But then they were destroyed by a comet! The comet was so sad that she cried! As she cried and ran away into space, her tears became Niagara Falls!

Niagara Falls chirped, "YAY! WE EXIST!"

But back to Davis and Mary Sue! They were so madly in love with each other that they did everything together! They went to McDonald's! They went to an amusement park! They played in the bumper cars! They went on the Ferris wheel! They played Dance Dance Revolution! They flew to the moon on a rocket! They were nearly incinerated in atmospheric re-entry! They crashed into Tokyo Bay! But they had fun!

McDonald's roared, "YOU WILL CONSUME MY CALORIES AND FAT GRAMS!"

"I am not amused at all!" So said the amusement park!

"BUMP!" That is what bumper cars do!

"I get dizzy!" Of course, you silly Ferris wheel!

"DANCE, BOYO!" DDR issues a challenge!

"I have acne! Look at all the craters on my face! WAH!" Poor moon!

"BURNING FRICTION!" Indeed, you silly atmosphere!

"I'm nothing but a fish's toilet!" There there, little Tokyo Bay!

"I'm a Spongebob Squarepants episode!" That's Fun for you!

Oh, but Davis and Mary Sue were laughing! They were having such fun! Davis was no longer angry! Then Mary Sue became quiet and silent.

Mary Sue suddenly exclaimed, "Davis…I LOVE YOU!"

Davis was stunned! No seriously, he was really stunned! A guy had tasered him and ran off!

The guy cackled. "I'M EVIL!" His taser went, "BZZZT!"

But Davis did not falter!

Davis muttered, "I…I love you too!"

Mary Sue squeaked with delight. "Hold me!"

Such raw, unhindered passion! Davis was so in love that he completely forgot about Kari! SHOCK OF ALL SHOCKS!

Kari authoritatively said, "Not so fast!"

But what have we here? Kari has arrived! And so has Yolei, Sora, and Mimi! And they looked angry! Not as angry as Davis had been, but angry enough to scare Barney!

Barney cackled, "I'm an immortal demon, so I'll NEVER die out! Eat THAT T-Rex!" How true!

Davis was shocked! Why had all the girls arrived?

Davis asked, "Why have you all come here?"

Yolei yelled, "We are jealous of Mary Sue!"

"Her hair is prettier than mine!" screamed Mimi.

Sora shouted, "Her eyes are brighter than mine!"

Kari suddenly became passionate! "I was wrong Davis! I LOVE you!"

The three girls concurred as well!

"And me!"

"And me!"

"And me!"

Davis was shocked; they ALL loved him? What of Tai, Matt, and Ken, the former boyfriends of Sora, Mimi, and Yolei? They had moved on to better things!

Tai said, "Sora hates clowns. I'm a clown. WOOF! FEEL MY HAIR!"

Matt whispered, "I like ninjas. Mimi thinks they dress tackily. Now I'm brooding. DIE BY ASSASSINATION!"

Ken laughed maniacally. "I like being a tyrant. ALL HAIL THE DIGIMON EMPEROR!"

And what of TK?

TK calmly pointed out, "Actually, I'm not Kari's boyfriend."

Yes, that was true! At that comment, all off the Takari fans the world over became enraged! They wanted to devour the author's flesh! Fortunately, they were too busy watching CNN to care.

"TED TURNER OWNS YOU!" boasted CNN.

Davis was suddenly sweatdropping. Why was everyone suddenly heaping all this attention on him?

Then, at that moment, all five girls yelled the same thing.

"FATHER OUR CHILDREN!"

Davis screamed! Such a thing had never been asked before! Should he turn down such a ludicrous offer?

Izzy suddenly appeared out of nowhere, dressed in shorts two sizes too big; he also wore a medallion bigger than a speed bump! He rapped out, "Of course not, homeboy! If he gets it on with the ladies, he be gettin' some bling-bling and street cred! I'd be able to hang with him, cuz I be a true gangsta! My homies be the bomb, cause we're the boyz n the hood!" He then fired an Uzi into the air. "Represent!"

But Davis panicked! Ignoring Gangster Izzy's advice, he fled! But the five girls pursued him until they trapped him in a warehouse! He screamed and wanted to flee! Then the girls-

**_(NO! NO! I WILL NOT STOOP TO SUCH LEVELS IN A PG-RATED STORY! FAST FORWARD!)_**

Fifty minutes later, Davis was running again! He was scared like nothing else! Right behind him were Kari, Yolei, Sora, and Mimi! Their bellies were rotund and bulbous! Why? Because they were pregnant!

"GET BACK HERE AND FATHER OUR CHILDREN!"

Davis yelped, "NO WAY!"

Yes! The four girls were now pregnant! In less than fifty minutes, they were nine months into their pregnancy! Such metabolism those girls have! Their babies will be strong!

_(URGE TO KILL RISING.)_

Davis stopped for a breather in a field of cherry blossoms. To his shock and awe, Mary Sue was there!

Donald Rumsfeld was full of glee! "Shock and awe! Baghdad go boom!"

Mary Sue looked sad. In her hands was a white Digiegg.

Mary Sue whispered, "Davis…take this digiegg."

Davis blinked. "Why?"

"Because it is yours…"

Davis was flabbergasted!

"I'm flabbergasted!" Davis meant it! "What do you mean?"

Mary Sue suddenly glowed brightly! When the light faded, she had grown cat ears and white angel's wings!

"Because…I am really a Digimon called…MSGmon."

Davis gasped!

"And this digiegg is our child"

Davis gasped twice!

"And you are allergic to MSG!"

Davis grumbled as his feet swelled. He already knew THAT.

"And I am about to die!"

Davis gasped three times as much for the price of one!

Mary Sue suddenly exploded into nothing. The digiegg floated onto the ground, unharmed. Davis fell to his knees and let out a pained cry.

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

In the year 3000, a robot actor was watching this moment on TV.

Calculon dramatically dramatized, "Such raw emotion! Such unfettered passion! My muse never fails to inspire me to do my best! And that lung capacity! Were I not a robot, I would never be able to compare!"

_(THIS IS NOT FUTURAMA! THIS IS **DIGIMON** FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES!)_

At that moment, four familiar girls stepped behind Davis. Davis suddenly felt terrified again; it was Kari, Yolei, Sora, and Mimi! And they were no longer pregnant!

"DAVIS! YOU DARE LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING HI TO THE CHILDREN!"

Children? Yes! Behind the four girls were four babies in diapers! And they all sat on Yoshis!

The babies burped out, "GAGAGOOGOO!"

The Yoshis chirped, "YOSHI!"

Davis screamed! "AH!"

_**(THAT'S IT! NO MORE!)**_

A giant boot suddenly stomped through everything! With the exception of Davis, everything blew up in a massive explosion of pink and brown fire! Davis was knocked unconscious!

Davis somehow said, "I AM OUT COLD!"

_**(I'M GOING TO SALVAGE THIS CHAPTER EVEN IF IT KILLS YOU!)**_

Then Davis was kicked into an entirely different dream, leaving this burning wasteland of refuse that was a 'dream' behind.

And that's when the cockroaches took it over! The Cockroach Overlord immediately proclaimed, "TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION!"

xxxx

Davis grumbled as he landed face-first in a pile of dirt. "Agh…my head…"

He slowly stood, brushing some dirt off his clothes. Apparently, all traces of the last dream were gone. That's when he looked around.

Then he paled.

Odaiba was in cinders. Standing above it all was a familiar figure, lording over the destruction like a dark god. Black tentacles stretched from him, covering the city.

_Darkheart_, thought Davis with a scowl.

Darkheart was a name he detested with every fiber of his being. Darkheart had been the monster UmbraDevimon had created from Davis. Using fifteen Black Gears and the Touch of Evil, UmbraDevimon had turned Davis into a mindless servant of destruction. However, when Demon had implanted a Dark Spore into him, he had gained free will…and, as Darkheart, he had come close to ending the legacy of the Digidestined for good.

"Darkheart…that monster…" Davis growled angrily. However…there was one thing that bothered him though…

This was not an image of the Digital World.

Then he remembered the nightmare inflicted upon him by BelialMyotismon's Gaze of Despair…his worst fear magnified.

Darkheart's return.

Davis grimaced; was this like that image? His fear being played out?

_Wrong…_

Davis wondered where the voice came from…and paled when he realized it was coming from the massive figure of Darkheart that towered over Odaiba.

_You don't understand what I am boy…I am a force far beyond anything YOU can comprehend…_

"Heh. Not likely. I can kick your sorry tail anyday."

_Then why are you so scared?_

Davis, much to his shock, had no reply. Darkheart guffawed as his tentacles continued to spread. The fires of his wrath continued to spread onward from Odaiba's ruins.

_Be honest…I'll break out…and I'll become the greatest scourge this universe has ever known…and let's do a little 'what if' scenario. What if you actually BEAT me?_

Davis frowned; why didn't he like where this was going? "Then what?"

_THIS._

Suddenly, the image of Odaiba's fiery ruins was gone. He was standing in the middle of a road…and he was surrounded by people.

Angry people. Furious people. To Davis' shock, the people at the front of the crowd were fellow Digidestined. "Guys…?"

A globule of spit landed on his cheek, courtesy of a royally ticked off Tai. "Scum. And to think I made you the leader."

Those words felt like a weight upon Davis. "…what…?"

Sora was next. Her eyes were laced with tears. "You killed my parents…how could you…"

"You put goggle boys to shame," muttered Matt, his voice venomous in its tone.

"You heartless murderer. There IS no justice for you," said Cody with a low growl.

"Wait…I didn't…" muttered Davis.

Then Kari spoke. "I couldn't speak to a monster like you…even the Dark World is too good for a cruel beast like you."

Those words were like a dagger to his heart. He slumped to his knees. The roars of the angry crowd didn't reach his ears, but they were all the same; they were bays for blood. His blood.

_Even if you defeated me, you will be seen as the one responsible for it all. You will be branded as a monster, a demon…a harbinger of doom. Death itself._

"No…"

_So no matter what you do, your life has been set in stone. You will suffer at MY hand forevermore…direct…or indirect._

"NO…"

The crowd around him morphed into copies of Darkheart. They began to laugh and jeer at him. Davis closed his ears to try and block them out.

_Hope you're a masochist. Because you'll know nothing but pain for the rest of your MISERABLE LIFE! And so will your worthless friends!_

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

xxxx

Davis sat up like a shot. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his breath was short. He quickly checked himself.

He was himself.

He looked around. He was in his own room in the Inoue Apartment. It was still nighttime.

…_all of it…was a dream…_ All of it had been a dream. Nothing but a dream.

_That does it! I'm off miso soup for LIFE!_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 11: A Mon in Need

xxxx

Author's Notes: There. You fricken' happy? The humor value brought by the script is GONE. The humor brought by the intentionally bad grammar is GONE. I had to cut A LOT OUT. You know how much it hurts for me to sacrifice something I **_WROTE?_** (screams out of rage)

On the upside, there is nothing you can report me in for anymore. Script? Sorry. Bad grammar? Too bad. Not even the 'New Digi-Episodes' got me reported, and it had script up the wazoo! Well guess what; to protect myself, I deleted it from the site. Now the thing I wrote long ago can no longer be compared to my current works, so now NO ONE can see a living example that practice and experience creates a better writer!

Well…to whomever reported me in, congratulations: you've succeeded in royally **_TICKING ME OFF._**

Gah…

(sighs and composes himself)

HOWEVER, I'm not going to hold a grudge against you. I will turn the other cheek. If you reveal yourself (I already have a good idea as to who you are, but I won't name names), I will not report you in. And neither will any of those who are reading and reviewing this story.

Everyone got that? As a favor to me, **_DO NOT REPORT HIM – OR HER – IN._**

Why, you ask?

Because I'm a better person for it. Holding grudges against someone is a pointless exercise in futility. So do me a favor and don't report this guy in. I'm asking you all to do this for ME.

HOWEVER, if I am reported in AGAIN – for unjust reasons, mind you – I won't hold back the floodgates. I DO happen to believe in a saying called 'don't throw pearls to swine'.

So instead of leering at my story and trying to undermine my credibility as a writer, why don't YOU work on your own skills instead? You'll be better off for it.

Well, I'm off. See everyone soon, and please review!

(P.S: I'm serious about not reporting this guy in. Understand?)


	11. A Mon in Need

Standard Disclaimer: Live on by saying I don't own Digimon! Learn by learning Japanese!

Author's Notes: I'm sure you're all curious about the chapter title and why it was changed from 'Bonding (Chizuru)'. Well, I had remembered a plotline I was going to introduce later on in Housemates, so I decided to introduce it NOW. The Bonding chapter with Chizuru comes after this particular bit.

Bleh…my week-long 'ban' from uploading (plus a visit to Florida) has seriously thrown off my rhythm. Time to get back into the swing of things!

To the reviews (of which there are FAR too many. GAH!)!

ficmaster: (smacks FM with a lamp) Don't. I'd rather wait for a REAL review than ten worthless ones. (boots him off a nine different cliffs)

Anthony1: Yep…I'm back.

Assamite: I'll consider it. Maybe sometime later down the line…hmm…maybe I'll open an Ezboard forum for it…(starts giving this some serious thought) Hmm…

Dark Qiviut: (blinks) …dude, I'm not bashing Davis. Even though he often gets the short end of the stick, he also gets the long end of it as well. If I were a Davis-basher, do you think I'd have given him the large role in Zero 2? (boots him off a cliff nine times)

MajinMewtwo: (blinks) …seriously? Bah…I personally thought chapter 10's appeal would've been the intentionally BADness of it all. Oh well. Go figure.

Fallen Angel of Oblivion: Heh…take out the humor, bring in the good story format…(shrugs)

Yamimaru: I just MIGHT consider opening an Ezboard for my stories.

Lord of swords and waffles: Too…many…reviews… (boots him off a cliff nine times)

anonymous: I prefer sadistic. ;P

Digi fan: Of course it was!

Cloud-821: GAH! TOO MUCH BOOTING OFF THE CLIFFNESS! (boots Cloud off the cliff five times)

Salan: …(slaps forehead) Good Lord…my reviewers have become my own personal hitmen now...oy vey…

generic writer: It's crazy.

Chosen Child of Darkness: Dark Ocean is the mean.

Nightfire04: YAR!

Dot Cubed: ...that April Fool's joke stank. (LAUNCHES her off a cliff nine times)

duskmon87: Welcome to Housemates duskmon!

Gah...PLEASE EVERYONE...no more junk reviews like this EVER AGAIN. I'd rather wait to get some nice, juicy steak (regular reviews) instead of immediately getting a can of spam (junk reviews). Junk reviews are pointless IMO...still, nice to see you all care.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 11: A Mon in Need

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, Friday, November 25th, 7:29 AM/

Davis grumbled as he trudged along the sidewalk to school. His stride indicated he was a tad grumpy, and he had good reason to be upset.

He still hadn't gotten that stupid dream out of his head. It was by far one of the most SURREAL things he had ever experienced. _And what the heck was with that voice that kicked me into that nightmare?_

Davis cringed again; now he had just made himself feel miserable again.

Darkheart.

Davis thought that THAT particular part of his time as a Digidestined was gone for good. But if his recent dreams were any indication, that was not the case. The Child of Miracles grimaced; he had thought he had destroyed Darkheart…

But had he really? What if Darkheart was merely sealed away? _Gah…I don't need this…_

Oh well…at least he had the privilege of walking to school alone. Yolei, Momoe, and Jun had already walked on toward the school. He could use the time in solitude.

"Davish?"

Well, he was ALMOST alone. He glanced back at the small head poking out of his backpack. "What Demiveemon?"

"What are we going to do today? Is school gonna end soon?" asked the In-Training Digimon.

Davis Inoue chuckled. "So…you're starting to get as sick of school as I am, eh? Well Demiveemon…I'm afraid I can't skip school. I'd be in more trouble than I currently am."

_Plink._

Davis blinked. "You hear that Demiveemon?"

"Nope. But I did see a soda can fall out of the trashcan that guy bumped into," innocently replied Demiveemon.

"Huh?" Davis glanced at Demiveemon, who was pointing at an alley. He glanced at the alley…and blinked.

Someone familiar was standing there. It was a kid wearing black denim jeans and a white collared shirt. His build seemed slightly lanky, but he was quite strong despite his lean appearance. His face possessed sharp cheekbones, and his eyes were yellow in color. His dark hair was long and loose in the back, yet short and spiky around the face. His tennis shoes were white in color, and his socks were black.

Davis recognized that figure. "That's Daichi Etsuya."

"You know him Davish?" asked Demiveemon.

"Yeah…he's in the same class I'm in." Davis frowned at the sight of Daichi; he had a bit of reputation like Davis. He had a tendency to be inattentive, he had a tendency to get into detention, and he had a tendency to get into a fistfight or two. However, unlike Davis, he also had a tendency to bully a few people around. Davis should know; he had gotten into a few scuffles with Daichi in the past because the dark-haired boy had partaken in the hated practice of bullying.

But something was different now…Daichi looked strange. The look in his eyes indicated…hesitation…uncertainty…and even…fear? That's weird. _He never showed fear before…_

Daichi looked back in the alley…it looked like he was talking to someone. Who?

_GAH! This is driving me nuts!_ "Hey! Daichi!"

Daichi tilted his head out of surprise…then his eyes widened out of shock at the sight of Davis. He quickly turned around – knocking his leg against a trashcan in the process – and ran into the alley.

"That's not the way to school, is it Davish?" asked Demiveemon.

Davis' face was hard and stoic. "No…and I'm going to find out what's spooked him so much!" Davis immediately burst off into the alley, with Demiveemon ducking back into his backpack. Davis sped after Daichi with all of his sped, his heart pumping blood to his legs. _Thank goodness for soccer: free endurance training!_

Then again, Daichi was no slouch either. He exercised on his own, but the results were still quite potent. Daichi could hold his own against most people.

However, this time, Davis had the upper hand. He was lighter on his feet than Daichi was…and his time wearing the Armor of Miracles had increased his body's capabilities quite nicely. With a diving tackle, Davis pushed Daichi to the ground.

"RAH!" roared Daichi, his boyish, rough voice echoing throughout the alley. "LET ME GO YOU JERK!"

"Not until you tell me what the heck you're acting so fidgety about!" demanded Davis. Daichi growled as he struggled against Davis' grip. Daichi shouted, "DARN IT! LET GO!"

"Not until you tell me!" ordered Davis.

Daichi growled…he didn't want to do this…but it was the only way to get this crazy guy off of his back! "Hey! A little help here!"

_Huh? What's he talking about?_ Davis got his answer moments later.

"Hah! Youse got some nerve asking me to fight yer own battles! But hey, I ain't complaining about busting a head or two!" That's when a purple creature burst from further within the alley, ramming into Davis.

Davis yelped as the impact sent him flying backwards and into the ground. "OW! Who did that?" He stared at Daichi…and blinked at the sight of the purple creature in front of him.

The creature was about as tall as Veemon, if not a littler taller. His entire body – save for the face – was colored purple, and his skin sort of shined like a rubber suit would. He wore red gloves on his hands, and his feet were separated into three toes. A yellow smiley face adorned his belly, and his face was white in color. One fang jutted downward out of his lips, and his long ears were bent near the end. His eyes were colored green, and they held a sense of cockiness and self-superiority.

Davis' brown eyes widened out of surprise. "You're…a Digimon…"

STOMP.

The purple Digimon snickered as his foot planted itself into Davis' face. "That's right ya bozo! The name's Impmon…and if youse intend to keep your face on, you might wanna start walkin'!"

"HAH!" Davis growled as he leapt to his feet, glaring at Impmon. "And why should I run from you? You're nothing but a shrimp!"

Impmon smirked maliciously as he held up all five fingers on each hand. They all became alight with red orbs of fire. "A shrimp eh? Well here's the hot sauce!"

Davis gulped. _Uh oh._

"Have a load of BADA BOOM!" Impmon threw the orbs of fire at Davis. The Child of Miracles yelped as he leapt backwards, trying to avoid fiery orbs. When they crashed into the ground, they covered Impmon and Daichi with black smoke.

When it cleared, they were gone.

Davis coughed as he searched frantically. Huh? Where'd they go?

Demiveemon took this opportunity to poke his head out of the backpack. "Davish? What happened?"

"…I…I…well, I'm not quite sure…" And he meant it; what had just happened was odd…but did it mean that Impmon was…Daichi's partner?

He suddenly remembered: _SCHOOL! AH! I've gotta get going!_

xxxx

/Alley, Near Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:45 AM/

Daichi Etsuya sighed as he finally stopped running upon nearing the school. "Gah…that was close…"

Impmon grumbled as he leapt over the boy and landed right in front of him. "Feh! You told me youse was a rough-n-tumble fighter! What's with the wimpy attitude?"

"It's not that I was scared of the twerp…" muttered Daichi. His yellow eyes stared quietly at the little Digimon.

The last two days had been quite…shocking, to say the least.

On his way home on Wednesday, he had been walking through an alleyway that he often used as a shortcut when the buses were too packed with passengers. To his surprise, he had found a small, strange device lying on the ground in front of him. He had picked it up as an afterthought, hoping to pawn it off or sell it for some spare cash.

To his absolute astonishment, the device had begun glowing in his palm. Moments later, a hole had opened in the air in front of him…and out came the show-stopping Impmon.

Needless to say, Daichi didn't know what to think of his latest predicament.

On one hand, the loud, boisterous, and somewhat snobby creature was the perfect companion to him…and he wouldn't hesitate to attack an enemy. Impmon was a key to enjoyment for Daichi.

But on the other hand…Daichi was not a fool. He knew that Impmon was a Digimon…and he knew that the public as a whole was resentful against Digimon for the Odaiba War. He wouldn't be caught DEAD in public with the little guy. For one, he would be brought directly into the eye of the media…and he didn't like too much attention. But…if the public managed to get their hands on Impmon…he had no doubt there'd be a lynching.

He wasn't about to let that happen to the little guy. Even if he WAS a bully, he wasn't going to let that happen to someone who was basically a 'Mini-Daichi'.

But…there was one problem. Impmon HATED being left alone for long periods of time. Going to school and returning home necessitated that Impmon be left alone, lest other humans discover him. Sure, he didn't really like doing it…but what other choice did he have?

"WELL? Then what's with the running?"

Daichi was blasted out of his thoughts by Impmon's incessant questioning. The black-haired boy waved it off with a flick of his hand. "Man, your questions are getting annoying."

"WHAT?" roared Impmon as steam flared out of his nostrils.

"I'm just being realistic," muttered Daichi. "If anyone else finds you, they'll tear you apart."

Impmon snorted. "I'd like to see those punks try! I'll fry em' with my Bada Boom!" He then turned his glaring gaze to Daichi. "And what's with the harsh treatment, bub? Youse' thinking that I'd damage your rep if I'm seen witcha?"

Daichi grunted. "Yeah! My rep WOULD be damaged! But that's not the main reason why! You get seen, you go die-die. Get it?"

"Feh! Here's what I think of all your talk." Impmon then held his right hand up and started pantomiming. "Blah blah-blah blah blah-blah-blah!"

Daichi seethed at Impmon's crack at him. If there was one thing that ticked him off more than anything else…it was the little Digimon's blatant disregard for authority and his flippant attitude (ironically, Daichi had similar qualities). "YOU…" Some part of his brain suddenly remembered that he had to get to school. Letting his anger cloud his logic, Etsuya roared, "FINE! YOU CAN HANG OUT ON TOP OF MY SCHOOL'S ROOF! JUST DON'T GET INTO ANY TROUBLE!" With a huff, Daichi shuffled out of the alley and towards the nearest crosswalk; the school was only a few blocks away.

Impmon smiled as he jumped he quietly took off his gloves to climb up the nearest building. _Heh! He fell for it! Sucker!_

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:10 PM/

**_"PPPFFFFTTT!"_**

"…thanks a lot Yolei," muttered Davis. His face was now drenched with milk.

Yolei coughed as she wiped her mouth free of milk. "Heh…sorry. It's just…well, you know…"

"Your news was shocking," said Cody, finishing for Yolei.

"What he said," said Yolei, TK, and Kari at once.

You see, come lunchtime, Davis had explained his encounter with Daichi earlier…as well as the subsequent meeting with Impmon. The possibility of there being another Digidestined had been a bit too surprising for them.

"Daichi Etsuya? The local bully since 3rd grade? A DIGIDESTINED?" said Kari, dumbfounded at the thought of Daichi having a Digimon partner.

As Cody folded his hands, deep in thought, TK asked, "You sure that Impmon wasn't just helping out Daichi because he felt like it?"

Davis vehemently shook his head. "No way! I'm sure of it!" _As a matter of fact…I'm going to ask Daichi after school. I'll find him and ask him directly!_

Cody, meanwhile, was quietly staring at the dark-haired boy that just moved to the table several yards away. _Daichi Etsuya…apparently, he's gotten a Digimon for a partner. Another Digidestined…with the events of the Odaiba War…was that a precursor for more Digidestined?_ Cody had once been told by Izzy that the reason the original eight had become Digidestined was because they had seen a Greymon and a Parrotmon fighting near Highton View Terrace. _If the same holds true here…then we're going to have a lot of new Digidestined on our hands…_

xxxx

/Rooftop, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:18 PM/

"…so Davish told me about this Impmon guy before we got to the school," finished Demiveemon, having been in the middle of explaining what Davis had told him.

Gatomon frowned. _Another Digimon…_ "I'm afraid I've never heard of 'Impmon' before. What's he like?"

"Don't know. Davish didn't tell me," replied Demiveemon. Right now, Demiveemon, Upamon, Poromon, Patamon, and Gatomon had gathered onto the rooftops to watch over their partners at lunchtime, as they usually did. However, the news of a new Digimon had surprised them.

Upamon asked, "Do ya think he likes snacks?"

"Well duh," sarcastically replied Patamon. "What Digimon CAN resist a great snack? Especially Twinkies…and brownies…and chips…mmm…"

Gatomon's nose suddenly twitched. _What's that new smell?_

"Well well! Never thought I'd see twerps of the digital variety around here!"

That voice caused all five Digimon to whirl around. Sitting on top of a rooftop power breaker was a purple Digimon. The Digimon said, "Heh! I've been sneakin' around this dump all day, and it took me this long to find youse guys? HAH! I'm gettin' lazy!"

Patamon asked, "Who are you?"

The Digimon snickered as he flexed his fingers. "The name's Impmon, and don't forget it!"

All five of the Digimon blanched at Impmon's reply. Demiveemon yelped, "You're the one who attacked my partner!"

"Eh?" mumbled Impmon out of confusion. "What the heck are youse talking about?"

"He's talking about his partner Davis!" responded Upamon. Poromon continued on by saying, "Yeah! He said that your partner ran into his partner earlier!"

Impmon frowned as he thought back to earlier…then he suddenly smiled out of realization. "Oh…YEAH! That weakling I tried to fry!" Impmon suddenly cackled as he put two and two together. "Youse telling me that YOU'RE that wimp's partner?"

"Davish is not a wimp!" yelled Demiveemon.

"He sure seemed like it! Then again, who WOULD want a dose of my Bada Boom?" To emphasize his point, Impmon suddenly lit one ball of red fire on his right index finger. "So…any of youse wanna test me?"

Gatomon snarled. "We have no interest in fighting you."

This caused Impmon to raise an eyebrow out of surprise.

Then he snickered. "Heh…I get it…youse is scared'a me!" The purple Rookie laughed. "This is rich! HA HA HA HA!"

"And what do you find so funny?" asked Patamon, an indignant expression on his face.

Impmon chuckled as he leered at the five Digimon. "What I find so funny? HA! Youse are all nothing but cowards! Hiding up here, away from the spotlight…but to heck with that! I say we Digimon have as much right to be out there as those rotten humans do! But instead, they keep us hidden…not very partner-like, eh?"

"They only have us hide to protect us from those who don't understand!" retorted Poromon.

"Pfft!" replied Impmon with a snort. "I've heard THAT one before. BOR-RING!"

Gatomon frowned. "You don't understand anything."

"Oh, I understand plenty!" Impmon chuckled as he leapt forward and landed in front of the five Digimon. "I understand that stupid humans are keeping us from havin' free reign around here! I mean, come on! What's stopping us from just leavin' them hanging and going out on our own? If anything…these stupid humans are nothing but garbage!"

Gatomon's eyes narrowed as he fur rose. "Don't…ever…talk…like…that…about…"

In a flash, Gatomon was in front of Impmon. The Rookie's senses had been too slow to see her coming. Impmon uttered, "Eh…!"

"KARI…**THAT**…**_WAY!_**" With a ferocious growl, Gatomon slammed her paw into Impmon's face, sending the mischievous imp sailing backward through the sky. He landed moments later on a different part of the school's roof.

Silence drifted through the air.

Finally, Patamon chirped, "Nice one!"

Demiveemon, meanwhile, was quiet…because he was in deep in thought. Unless his ears were tricking him…he had detected something in Impmon's voice…and it had carried over into his green eyes…

_Impmon…is he…lonely…?_

xxxx

/Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, 8:39 PM/

With an angry slam, Daichi closed the door to his bedroom. His bedroom was a reflection of his character; rebellious, unkempt, and lazy. Dirty clothes were piled into one corner of the room. His bed's black covers were a mess. Emptyand half-empty snack bags and soda bottles littered the floor. A number of old action figures were lying around in a haphazard fashion – Impmon had dragged them out of his closet to mess with him – on his floor. Taped onto his walls were a few posters of female swimsuit models. The light of the city showed through his window, which was dirty and unwashed.

It was also open.

Why?

Because it was Impmon's only means of entering the house without drawing the attention of his parents. Speaking of Impmon, he was sitting on the bed, munching on what remained in a bag of chips he had found under the bed.

And speaking of parents…

"GAH! THIS SUCKS!" roared Daichi as he angrily kicked an action figure into the wall. "Stupid dad…it's not even nine and he's drunk already. A NEW RECORD!"

"Gee. You sound ticked," muttered Impmon as he munched on the stale potato chips.

Daichi scowled as he sat down on the bed beside Impmon. "I have a right to be, don't I?" With an angry huff of air, the black-haired boy explained. "Keh…my dad's a bit of an alcoholic. He's drunk again…and my mom, being the socialite that she is, isn't around to do a fricken' thing about it!"

Impmon smirked. He may have been in the Real World for only two days, but he'd been around in the Digiworld for awhile, so he knew what SOME terms meant. "Don't know what the heck an alcoholic is, but I definitely know a thing or two about being drunk! BRING ON THE BOOZE!"

"SSH!" snapped Daichi. "DAD'LL HEAR YOU."

"What do I care?" retorted Impmon as he tore the bag in half. "I could torch his face if I had to!"

Daichi snorted. "You don't get it…he may be a hopeless drunkard, but he's got muscles upon muscles! He could squash you…and your fireballs would only make him angry." The boy sighed resentfully; his dad was a musclebound drunkard, and his mom was never around to do anything. _Feh…stupid parents…_

Impmon grunted as he leaned back on the bed. "I'm startin' to wonder why the heck I was brought to this stupid world if this is all I'm gonna be looking forward to."

"…but…" Daichi frowned as he gazed at the purple Digimon. "Didn't you tell me…that you used to be alone…?"

Impmon's ears twitched. True…he had once been alone… With a snort, he turned his face away. "Feh…if this is all there is to look forward to…then maybe being alone would be better."

Daichi's frown turned into a sad one as he looked down at the floor. _…I know…my life sucks…but what choice do I have Impmon? If I let you run freely, you'll be torn apart by everyone…I have to hide you…so you can be safe._

Suddenly, Impmon snickered.

Daichi blinked out of confusion. "What's so funny?"

"…remember the wimp I stomped earlier?" Impmon sat up, a feral grin on his face. "I just remembered an interesting bit of info I found out."

"What?" Daichi didn't bother asking who Impmon was referring to; he already knew it was Davis the Digimon was talking about.

Impmon smirked. "…turns out he's like us…in a way."

xxxx

/Bathroom, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:03 PM/

As Davis sat on the toilet in silence, Demiveemon finished explaining his personal account of the encounter with Impmon at school…as well as his personal feelings on the subject. "…you sure about that Demiveemon?"

Demiveemon nodded. "Yep. I'm sure…I could tell. I even asked Gatomon later on. After giving it some thought, she agreed with me."

"…I see…" Davis sighed as he scratched his forehead.

Things were getting complicated.

For one, Daichi Etsuya – on-and-off-again bully and general not-nice guy – now had a partner. That partner was Impmon, a wisecracker and a generally not-nice mon. Generally, the two combined would mean trouble, right?

_Well…_

Davis grumbled. Even though Daichi had a posse composed of several students who either revered his strength or feared him, the dark-haired boy had no real friends. Not like Davis did…

And as for Impmon…Davis could actually sympathize.

Because he and Demiveemon dealt with the same thing. So did all of the other Digidestined.

Although their families knew of their Digimon…the public could not be allowed to know. Despite the efforts of two factions – American President Jonathon Yates and the Digimon of the Forbidden City that now lived on Earth – to forge a peaceful bridge between the two races, a vast majority of the public thought Digimon to be no more than monsters.

After all, Digimon had leveled Odaiba.

But Digimon had also resurrected Odaiba.

However, if things stayed like they were, the relations between Digimon and humanity would never approve.

Davis frowned. He'd like nothing more than having his partner walk with him and BE with him at all times…even if it meant letting the little guy be seen in public.

Normally, Davis wouldn't care what other people thought…but he knew that some people would get violent if they saw a Digimon…

"Davish."

Davis looked at his In-Training partner with a confused look. "Yeah?"

"I have an idea."

Demiveemon explained his idea.

Davis gaped. "Demiveemon…are…are you sure…?"

Demiveemon nodded. "Even though I have to hide like Impmon, I have friends. He doesn't…and I want to help."

Davis was silent.

Then, he smiled. _Heh…what a guy_. "Yeah…alright then! Tomorrow, we'll put your plan into action!"

Davis tried to stand.

He immediately winced. Demiveemon asked, "What's wrong Davish?"

Davis Inoue quietly tilted his head towards Demiveemon, an embarrassed grin on his face. "…my butt fell asleep."

Demiveemon facefaulted.

xxxx

/Outside Odaiba School, Odaiba, Saturday, November 26th, 7:50 AM/

Yolei frowned as she walked towards the front doors. _What the heck was Davis' problem?_

Her 'brother' – Bleh! – had opted to leave at a later time. _Just like yesterday. What's up with him?_ With a sigh, she entered the school; it wasn't her job to worry about him.

Meanwhile, near a throng of cherry blossom trees – their branches bare – stood Daichi. Hiding amongst the empty branches was Impmon.

Daichi grumbled. "Davis hasn't shown up yet. Don't tell me he's going to be tardy again…"

"I bet that wimp's scared to show up. Now that he knows about us, he doesn't wanna cross us!" boasted Impmon.

"I don't know…" muttered Daichi. "If there's one thing I know about Davis…it's that he's not a coward."

This caused Impmon to chuckle. "Whatever youse say. Come on…just stick to the plan! We find him, we threaten to reveal his partner to the public…and youse got a bunch of loyal followers to back ya up! Plus, even if the twerp wants to reveal me…I'm good at hiding. He'll never be able to prove it! And I know where the Digimon hide! It's a shoo-in! More power for us!"

"…true." If there was one thing Daichi had learned over the years, it was this: those without allies to support them needed power to stand up against hardship. The more power…the better. The boy smirked as he ran a hand through his hair. "The more, the better…besides, I owe him for the last time I scuffled with him. Time to ruin his rep!"

"YEAH!" cheered the roguish Digimon. He looked ahead…and stopped his cheering. "…he's…here…"

Daichi grinned. "Finally. Prepare to…" His eyes fell upon Davis…and to his shock, a blue Digimon was walking by his side. "…enact…the…huh…? Wha…?"

The Digimon was Veemon. Both Davis and Veemon were smiling as they walked toward the school's front doors, oblivious to the stares they were getting from the few students that were still outdoors.

The two stopped beside the cherry blossom trees that grew along the grass near the front walkway. Davis glanced at Daichi…and then he stared at Impmon, who was remarkably well hidden in the branches.

Then, he smiled. "You owe me for this Daichi…"

Daichi momentarily regained his bravado. "…owe YOU? For what?"

"Simple." Davis turned towards the front doors as he spoke. "I'm making things easier for you."

Then, without a second thought, Davis and Veemon entered the halls of the school.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 12: The Ties that Bind Us

xxxx

Author's Notes: Behold…I bring you the wisecrackery of Impmon! Oh, and Davis and Veemon are either being gutsy…or committing social seppuku. You decide.

See you soon, and please review!


	12. The Ties that Bind Us

Standard Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: Bleh. Studying for SATs and real life stuff are constricting my writing schedule. I'm sorry for the delay.

In other news, I'm changing the story's name to 'Zero 2: Housemates'. This way, people can be sure this story is part of the Zero 2 timeline.

To the reviews!

ficmaster: …you reviewed twice. (boots him off a cliff) Missed that. ;P

Chosen Child of Darkness: 'Seppuku' equals 'suicide'.

Yami Shadowclaw: BLARGH! NOT ANOTHER REVIEWER SPAMMER! I BEG YOU! NOOOOO! (wails on like Calculon)

Anthony1: You have your answer here!

Assamite: …in a K-Plus story? No. By 'socialite', I mean 'spends too much time partying with friends' and whatnot.

Dot Cubed: So complex it's cool, eh…? Does that mean chaos theory and string theory are going to become the new Snoop Dogg? ;P

Yamimaru: Yes. (SPOILER ALERT) Impmon's champion form appears in this episode.

Digi fan: You'll see them.

Trey Miller: Nope. It's gone. As for those cartoons you mentioned, what are they?

Lord of swords and waffles: It's almost like a train wreck; you wanna look away but you can't.

Anime obsessed fan: Oh…it'll be interesting…

Dark Qiviut: (blinks and steps out of the box) You forget…I'm…the AUTHOR! (sends Dark Qiviut into either the Teletubbies or Barney universe…whichever one's more evil…but not before booting him off a cliff twice). ;P

Cloud-821: Apology accepted.

MajinMewtwo: I guess spammy humor that belongs on message boards (an art I used frequently before joining FFnet. ;P ) isn't your forte. (boots him off a cliff…and boots Stoppa off a cliff with a spiked iron boot)

Silver Warrior: Wrong. In Japan, Davis' name was 'Daisuke'.

Mewgia Mirrorcoat: Thanks for the OOC comment. Daichi's actually being introduced now…because he'll play a large role in other entries in the Zero 2 series.

Ninetalesuk: Blargh. Haven't had much time to read your story. X.X

Bluesv20: Exactly!

Kmoney: Ouch. Morbid picture. Welcome to Housemates!

Chigy: Indeed.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 12: The Ties that Bind Us

xxxx

/Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:52 AM/

The stares were immediate.

Students stared at Veemon with utter shock. Their surprise was evident on their face; standing amongst them was a Digimon.

As Davis and Veemon continued to walk, they could hear an occasional sentence or two.

"Look at that…"

"Is that a Digimon?"

"A Digimon? Aren't Digimon the ones who destroyed Odaiba?"

"A monster…why at our school?"

"Why's he walking with Davis?"

"Is he a friend of Davis?"

"He's probably an attack 'dog'. What else could he want a monster for?"

"That worm…acting like nothing's wrong with bringing a Digimon here…"

"Monsters…"

Davis resisted the urge to sneer. What did they understand? Nothing, that's what. They didn't know how great a guy Veemon was. But that was just it; they DIDN'T know. They didn't know that Veemon was his best friend. And to be honest…if he was in their shoes…he would be distrustful as well.

_Man…this is gonna be a tough day_. Even so, he would bear with it…and he would wear a smile all the while.

Veemon and Davis continued to walk through the halls. Davis stopped in front of his locker and looked through the clutter of papers and old candy bar wrappings for his math book. As the Child of Miracles searched for his math book, his partner stood by his feet and waved at the students that would pass by. "Hi! How are you? Nice day, ain't it?"

The stares would not stop coming.

A black-haired girl – arms full of books – was so mortified by the sight of Veemon…after all, he was a Digimon. She had actually seen a Digimon when she had taken refuge in the Fuji Television Station…she had seen up close and personal what they had done. She froze on the spot.

A notebook slipped out of her grasp, falling to the floor with a noisy clatter. Veemon happily hopped over and picked it up, holding it towards her. "Here ya go! You dropped this!"

That was all the girl could take. She shrieked and ran for all her worth, dropping her books in the process. As she ran down the hall, her screams attracted attention. Students stared at her as she ran.

Then the glared back at the innocent Veemon, who looked a bit confused. "Huh…did I do something? Maybe it's my breath…"

"Nope," replied Davis as he closed his locker, math book in hand. He smiled as he gazed into Veemon's red eyes. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Veemon smiled. "Oh. Okay Davish!" Veemon walked beside Davis as the two continued on…but the male Inoue knew that Veemon was hiding the hurt in his eyes. How painful it had to be…to be rejected at every turn…

It made Davis angry to know that Veemon was going to be experience this pain today…and yet the little Digimon was going to go along with it anyway.

_Stay calm Davis. You have to stay strong…because Veemon's staying strong. If you don't stay by his side…what will that say to him?_

He would not back down. He was no coward.

After all, he WAS Davis Inoue.

_Bleh…stupid name._

xxxx

/Homeroom, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:59 AM/

Davis sat down in his chair just as the clock turned to 7:59. One more minute till school began. Veemon quietly sat down beside his desk. "Ready Veemon?"

"Ready for school Davish!" exclaimed Veemon.

They seemed oblivious to the glances and stares they were receiving from their fellow classmates. The biggest stares came from none other than Kari and TK. Right now, their facial expressions were the epitomes of shock. The Kamiya girl leaned over and whispered, "Davis…WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"I'm just going along with Veemon's plan," replied Davis with a grin. "Let's just say I'm making things easier for Digimon."

_RRRRRIIIIINNNGGG!_

The clock struck eight.

School time.

Mrs. Hakashi entered the classroom. "Okay class, get your math books ready; we'll be getting into today's lesson immediately after roll call." As her eyes scanned the room, they saw a shade of blue skin.

Wait…blue skin?

She did a double take. The one with the blue skin wasn't a sick individual like she originally thought; it was a tiny little creature sitting by Davis Inoue's desk. _…either that's a toy, or it's one of those creatures…those digital things…_

"Davis Inoue."

Davis blinked at the sound of Mrs. Hakashi's stern, authoritative voice. "Uh…aren't you supposed to start at 'A'?"

A snicker or two came out from among the class. However, they were short and swift, lest Mrs. Hakashi identify them.

Veemon helpfully said, "Davish, I don't think that's what she meant."

That verified it for the math teacher. The movement…and the speech. _It IS a Digimon…_ "Davis Inoue…what is that thing doing in this classroom?"

"Veemon's a 'he', Mrs. Hakashi," pointed out Davis. "And as for why he's here, I thought it would be nice to let him come with me to school for once."

As Davis spoke, TK couldn't believe what he was doing. _That idiot! He's acting as if nothing's wrong! If he keeps this up, the anti-Digimon crowd is going to lynch both him AND Veemon!_

Mrs. Hakashi grimaced as she let out a small puff of breath; it was clear from this early on that Davis was adamant about this little…thing. She took another course of action. "You DO know that pets aren't allowed in school, correct?"

Veemon sweatdropped. _I'm no pet…_

Davis grumbled. "Veemon's not a pet! He's my friend, and he wanted to come here for once!" Davis had to be careful with his words; although Veemon wanted to be here, there was no telling how the other Digimon felt…so he couldn't reveal the others. That'd be the equivalent of selling the other Digidestined out…and he didn't want that.

If anything was going to happen…it was going to be on his shoulders and his alone.

"Is that so?" Mrs. Hakashi glowered, her eyes gazing intently into Davis' eyes. "How long have you had this…'Veemon' of yours?"

Kari could only blanch as Davis nonchalantly replied, "Few months? Why?" The Child of Light could not believe what was happening. _Please Davis…I don't know what you're doing…but don't do anything that could reveal the existence of Digidestined…!_

The teacher was silent. Then, she stood to her full height. "Come with me Davis Inoue. I'd like to speak with you outside in PRIVACY."

An alarm suddenly blared in Davis' head. This wasn't good; if Mrs. Hakashi wanted to talk to him, then he was about to endure something WORSE than detention. Nevertheless, he nodded and replied, "Yes ma'am." Davis obediently walked out of the classroom, followed by Mrs. Hakashi who closed the door behind him.

The students were silent.

Then, as one, they turned towards Veemon.

The little Rookie nervously waved at them. "Hi!"

xxxx

Davis grumbled as he watched Mrs. Hakashi close the door. _Man…she's gonna whale at me just because of Veemon…I knew this was gonna happen…but still!_

"Davis Inoue, I pity you."

Davis suddenly felt confused as Mrs. Hakashi spoke to him in a somber voice. "Huh? What are you getting at?"

"I can see it in your eyes…regardless of what's going to happen to you, you won't abandon that Digimon," said Mrs. Hakashi. "I'll be frank with you Davis; it's no secret amongst the faculty that there are Digimon hiding out on the school's rooftops. I've seen them myself."

This statement caused a chill to go down Davis' bones. They knew….they knew…they knew about the other Digimon on the roof…

"And I have to tell you that most of the faculty wants them off the roof…some have advocated calling the police to remove them by force." Mrs. Hakashi sighed; this was something she really didn't feel like discussing with a child. "I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that most of the children in this school are anti-Digimon…and if it hadn't been for the five titans that restored Odaiba and the American' president's speech, ALL of the children here would be anti-Digimon. That's a fact."

Davis' eyes stared down at the floor, seemingly out of hopelessness…and futility. Mrs. Hakashi sighed again. "Davis…for your safety…keep that Digimon out of the eye of the public. And if you know who those other Digimon belong to…tell them to stay away. For the children's sake."

Silence.

Then…chuckling.

Mrs. Hakashi raised an eyebrow out of surprise. "Davis Inoue?"

Davis raised his head to reveal a defiant grin. "I'm not going to listen…because if no one does anything…human-Digimon relations won't improve a bit!"

The teacher was silent…but even she had to admit that she was impressed by Davis' resolve. Finally, she sighed. "Very well…but he'd better not be a disruption."

"Don't worry! He knows how to behave!" exclaimed Davis as Mrs. Hakashi opened the door.

xxxx

**Veemon was dancing on Davis' desk**. The children around him were either grinning, snickering, giggling, chuckling, or just plain laughing. As Veemon did stationary flips and dance moves, he sang.

"I told the witch doctor I was in love with you!" He flipped and landed on his hands. "I told the witch doctor I was in love with you!" He twirled and bounced onto his tail. "And then the witch doctor he told me what to do!" He quickly jumped up and heartily sang, "He said that," He landed on the desk and danced as fast as his feet could carry him. "Ooo, eee, ooo ahh ahh! Ting tang, walla walla bing bang! Ooo, eee, ooo ahh ahh ting tang, walla walla bing bang! Ooo, eee, ooo ahh ahh! Ting tang, walla walla bing bang! Ooo, eee, ooo ahh ahh ting tang, walla walla bing bang!" As shocked as TK and Kari were over the whole predicament, even they found themselves laughing at Veemon's stunt.

Mrs. Hakashi shot Davis an annoyed glare. The boy had quickly been proven wrong.

Davis nervously chuckled. "Heh heh…don't worry…he just has a tendency to get…bored…"

"Takes after you apparently," muttered the teacher as she rubbed her temples. This was going to be a LONG day…

Meanwhile, near the back of the class, Daichi Etsuya wasn't laughing. He was beyond bewildered. _Why…? Why is Davis doing this? Why did he bring his Digimon here…? I don't get it…_

Outside one the classroom's windows, meanwhile, was Impmon. He was discreetly watching the spectacle. He resisted the urge to snicker at Veemon's bad dancing…or snort at how the tall female teacher immediately stopped it, causing Veemon to accidentally to fall to the floor. "Feh. And just when it was gettin' funny."

But mentally speaking, Impmon was confused. He was still in shock over the fact that 'David or Darren or Haggis or whatever the heck his name was' was letting his partner walk freely amongst the humans. _Man…I don't get it! Daichi told me that if I was seen, I'd get ripped apart…but those two ain't gettin' any flak at all! What's the deal?_

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:04 PM/

"_**PPPFFFFTTT!"**_

Davis scowled as he wiped his face clear of milk. "Is this going to be a habit?"

Yolei coughed as she protested, "Well gee, what the heck was I supposed to do? You just walked up here with Veemon right beside you!"

Speaking of Veemon, the little Rookie said, "Are you gonna finish your milk?"

"Eh, forget it Veemon. We'll sit at another table," muttered Davis as he walked away from the table Kari, TK, Yolei, and Cody sat at. Yolei stared incredulously at Davis as he walked towards another table, Veemon walking right behind him. "Geez…all I did was get a little milk on him! It happened yesterday…so why's he so cranky?"

"Maybe it's the talk he had with Mrs. Hakashi earlier," ventured TK.

Yolei froze. "Don't tell me…did he-"

"Bring Veemon into the classroom? Yes," finished Kari. A sudden giggle crossed her lips. "And I have to say…Veemon's a funny dancer…"

Yolei groaned out of exasperation. "Aw MAN! What made him think of such a hair-brained idea?"

"Perhaps he's impatient," answered Cody as he bit into his banana. "Human-Digimon relations are bound to become more interconnected…perhaps Davis just wants to speed up the process."

TK shrugged. "Maybe. But he could've used a different method. I mean, bringing his partner to school I can understand; we do it all the time. But the classroom…?"

Yolei snorted as she bit into a sandwich. "I think he's committing social suicide. I mean, do you know how many people here just don't like Digimon?"

At that statement, Cody suddenly said, "And that's why Davis didn't sit with us."

This caused the other three to blink out of confusion. TK asked, "What do you mean?"

"Think about it," replied Cody, his voice tinged with sadness. "If Davis were to sit with us…people would brand us as his friends. They would automatically link us to him."

"Yeah? So?" asked Yolei.

Cody frowned. "So…that means that whoever socializes with him now will be branded as a friend of Digimon…or a Digimon-lover, if you want to put it that way. Since Davis is a friend of Digimon, his friends will be friends of Digimon as well."

It suddenly dawned upon the three. Davis didn't want to sit by them…because of what would happen as a result. Not because he was upset over the milk on his face (which he was, but not so much as to leave them hanging)…but because he didn't want them dragged into this.

Kari quivered as she saw Davis try to sit at another table…but was flat-out rejected. He tried another table. Same result. _Davis…_ Just because of Veemon's presence…everyone was treating himlike public enemy number one…yet he didn't care. "It's not fair…why are they treating him like this…?"

TK sighed regretfully as pained hardness came to his voice. "That's the way a social structure works. The majority's opinion matters…and those in the minority are afraid to speak out, lest they become branded…and shunned."

Cody nodded. "Well said TK…that's how it works. I'm sure there are people who'd love to let Davis and Veemon sit with them…but that's how peer pressure is."

Yolei grumbled. "Man…this stinks." In a way, she sort of felt guilty; after all, she picked on Davis a lot, even if it was mostly harmless fun. But this…this just wasn't right.

It wasn't fair.

xxxx

Daichi Etsuya frowned as he watched Davis and Veemon walk away from the lunch area in a huff. _Rejected…then again, what did they expect? He knew what was coming._

Then why did he feel so odd? It just irked him…to see Davis so blatantly walk around the middle school tables with his partner, looking for a seat that he KNEW wouldn't be offered…so why even bother trying?

_Why…why? Why does he bother?_ Why did Davis bring Veemon to school in the first place? _To make things easier on me…what the heck did he mean by that?_

As he watched Davis and Veemon round the corner of the gym – presumably to eat there alone – he saw three figures walk away from the high school tables and towards the gym. The three figures were male; all three were muscular, and they all held an aura of meanness to them. The center one had neatly combed orange hair, whereas the other two – one tall and one short – had heads full of black hair. However, it was clear from the cocky stride and menacing black eyes that the center one was the ringleader of the small group.

Daichi recognized him. _Seiji Waya…_

Waya was a senior in high school…and he had a propensity for bullying. However, he was feared enough within the student body that he had others do most of the bullying for him, so that next-to-nothing could be linked to him.

Daichi should know; he had sometimes worked for the creep. He didn't care. Roughing up the victims Waya told him to rough up was a way to vent anger and frustration.

Yet…for some reason…something didn't seem right…

Daichi frowned as the three rounded the corner to the gym. He had to check this out. He stood up and made quick strides towards the gym.

xxxx

/Central Alley, Gym, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:15 PM/

"Gah…this SUCKS!" yelled Davis as he angrily sat down inside the central alley, tearing into his sandwich – which happened to have cheese, mustard, and lettuce on it, by the way – with gusto.

The gym was shaped like a giant 'B'…so this meant that the center between the upper and lower halves was nothing more than a small, enclosed hallway that connected them together. The rest of the empty space formed a central alley where the gym's dumpsters, power systems, and air conditioning equipment were situated.

Veemon quietly grabbed a bag of chips. "You don't mind, do ya Davish?"

"Of course not Veemon. Help yourself."

"YAY!" Veemon eagerly tore into the chips, scarfing them down with unmitigated hunger.

As Davis watched chip crumbs fly, he couldn't help but smile. _Veemon…you're something else…_

No. Veemon was MORE than just something else.

With the exception of Kari, Veemon was probably the best thing that had ever happened to Davis. He gave him a friend closer than anyone could relate to. He gave him a new duty as a Digidestined. Despite all the bad things that being a Digidestined entailed…Davis didn't care. The good outweighed the bad. Veemon was truly unique…because he was someone that Davis could be…well…um…man, he couldn't even put Veemon's importance into words. How's THAT for Veemon's value?

Davis smiled as he swallowed the last of his sandwich. Even if the whole world turned its back on him…as long as he had Veemon, he'd be okay.

"Well well…looks like the rumors are true."

Davis froze at the sound of that voice. So did Veemon. "Davish, did you say that?"

"No…I did."

Davis and Veemon turned to face the entrance/exit to the central alley…and they saw none other than Seiji Waya and two of his personal goons. Davis frowned; he had heard of this guy from Tai. "What do you want?"

Waya grinned. "I'd heard rumors of a boy with a Digimon walking around school today…and since I never got the chance to personally thank the Digimon that trashed my home during the Odaiba War, I can repay this one in kind."

Davis snarled as he stood up. "In case you didn't know, all the buildings were repaired after the War ended…BY DIGIMON. Your house was fixed; and Veemon wasn't even allied with the Digimon that trashed your place!" _Careful with the wording Davis…don't give away too much info._

"It's the principle of the thing," replied Waya. "Digimon…creatures from another world that have no place among humankind…and it's clear that they're nothing more than mongrels after all the lives lost! Digimon are nothing more than monsters…"

"You're right…some ARE monsters…" Davis smirked at the older male. "But not Veemon."

Waya was silent. By this time, Daichi had caught up…and he was now staring from the corner of the central alley at Waya, his goons, and Davis and Veemon. _What's going on…?_

Also, from the rooftops above, Impmon was watching with a smile. _Heh…looks like there's gonna be some action today! Maybe I should start making a bet._

Then, Waya snapped his fingers on the right hand. "Get the blue guy." The short goon immediately charged forward with a punch; a punch aimed at Veemon's head. "RAAAGH!"

_POW!_

His punch collided with Davis' gut. The Inoue boy grunted…but he didn't move. Veemon yelled, "DAVISH!"

Daichi's eyes widened. So did Impmon's.

Davis had taken the blow meant for Veemon.

_But…why? He only got himself hurt!_ wondered Daichi out of shock.

_Hmm…weird. That punch wouldn't have made a Rookie Digimon cry…but the twerp still took it. Why?_ Impmon's thoughts pretty much mirrored Daichi's.

Waya smiled slightly at the sight of Davis' pain. "Idiot. Taking punches like that is going to hurt."

Davis said nothing to respond to Waya. All he did was glance back at Veemon and say, "Don't try to stop them Veemon…"

Veemon paled. "But…why?"

"Because…if you attack them now…even if it's because you try to help…all the work you've done today will be for nothing…" Davis smiled as he clenched his fists. "Veemon's off-limits…but if you want your sick kicks, then hit me all you want!"

This caused Waya to raise an eyebrow out of amusement. "Interesting…very well. I was going to hit you anyway…but since you set the terms like this…" He snapped his fingers on both hands. "Restrain the blue monster. I don't want him to try and sneak a hit in."

"Yes boss!" The two goons rushed at Veemon, pressing him down into the ground. The Rookie growled as he struggled, trying to move his restrained limbs. "Lemme go! Davish, let me help!"

"No Veemon…I can handle anything this guy dishes out at me." Davis grinned as Waya approached.

Then Waya delivered a vicious uppercut to Davis' body, knocking all the air out of his lungs. Davis barely had time to breathe as a series of hooks and jabs met his face.

As Davis got the stuffing beat out of him, Veemon screamed, "DAVISH!" He wanted to digivolve to help his partner…he HAD to digivolve!

But he couldn't. Davis' willpower was somehow suppressing the digivolution powers of the blue D-3.

As Davis continued to get beaten into a bloody pulp. An odd tightness caught Daichi's chest. His eyes felt strange…and his conscious ate at him. _Why…? Why is he doing this…he should have run…he should've tried to sneak past Waya…so why?_

POW! Kick to the sides.

_Why…why is he doing that?_

_BAM!_ Punch to the kidneys.

_Why is he taking the hits…?_

**SLAM!**

_Why…why can't I do anything?_

_**KA-POW!**_

Davis gagged as Waya slammed his fist into his face. A squirt of blood erupted from Davis' lips. The Child of Miracles grumbled as he tasted his own blood. He felt utterly horrible…but he wouldn't back down. He remained steadfast.

Waya chuckled as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm actually curious…as to why you're taking all this abuse for an inhuman monster…mind enlightening me?"

Impmon frowned as he looked on from above. He was actually wondering why…because the beating the boy was sustaining was something else.

Davis grinned a bloody grin as he clutched his aching sides. "Yeah…because Veemon…has given me something that can't be taken away from me. He is a part of me…as I am a part of him…we share a bond you can't even comprehend."

Daichi became full of awe at that statement. A bond that tied Davis and Veemon so tightly together…was that why? Was that why they were willing to go through such an audacious plan…because of their trust for each other? Their belief that if they stuck together, everything would be okay in the end? It was unbelievable…that such a bond could exist between a human…and something not of this world. _Their bond…could it be possible…for me to have that kind of bond…with Impmon…?_

Davis chuckled as he spat some blood onto Waya's shoe. "Funny you mention 'inhuman'…because Veemon's more human than you'll ever be…you scumbag…"

Waya snorted. "Still wordy…fine then." He ran as fast as he could, rearing his right fist for a tremendous punch to the forehead. "Let's see if you're still grinning after THIS!"

_**SMACK!**_

The punch connected with a pair of hands.

Daichi's hands.

Waya stared out of disbelief. Davis' eyes widened out of shock. Veemon and the two goons gaped at the sight. High above, Impmon was completely surprised. _What the…?_

Daichi quickly slammed his foot into Waya's gut, sending the high school senior backwards by several feet. His yellow eyes glared hatefully at Waya. "Don't even think about touching Davis…because now…_you ANSWER **TO ME!**"_

xxxx

To be contined…

Next time…

Chapter 13: Taking Root

xxxx

Author's Notes: Meh. Intended to finish up this plotline in this chapter…but it grew, and I had to increase it by another chapter. Oh well; more room for character development!

See you soon (hopefully), and please review!


	13. Taking Root

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digital Monsters. (blinks) Dang…doesn't sound as cute as Digimon, eh?

Author's Notes: The above statement is true. Oh, and the 100-review mark has been breached once more!

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: Oh. THOSE. (makes a pukey face) Okay…you asked for it.

Love Triangle was basically a standard 'TK's dating Kari, TK meets female OC, TK falls in love with female OC, Kari becomes heartbroken, Davis fills the gap'. Back then, I didn't like Takari at all, so I wrote something that appealed to me. Does it suck? Yes. And I'm glad it's gone forever.

Missing Courage was basically a rip-off of another story I saw where Tai supposedly dies in battle only to appear a year later as an alive guy (characters changed, concept remains the same); Sora becomes distant and heartbroken during that period, thus the 'Missing Courage' (Sora missing Tai, the Child of Courage). It too, was crappy.

Oh, and just for the record, I LIKED Sonic Shuffle. :P

And yes, you can use the Gravemon and the Dark Obelisk concept. Descriptions will follow (check your reviews in Thoughts of the Children)…(boots him off a cliff) :P

Alforce Zero: New names are fun! I'll call you Air Force One! (blinks) Wait…

ficmaster: If he tried to make me mad, he did a really bad job. :P

Mewgia Mirrorcoat: Thanks for the support.

Silver Warrior: BeyBlade…bleh.

Bluesv20: …huh?

Dot Cubed: Happy birthday!

Yami Shadowclaw: Look, if you couldn't tell from the '(wails on like Calculon)' bit…I was being sarcastic. Honestly, I have no problem with you review earlier chapters…but I DO have a problem when they're basically one sentence spammy stuff. To get an example, go to the last page of the Housemates review page.

As long as your reviews are actually REVIEWS, then I have no problem. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Anthony1: Strange how you're the only one to comment on that. ;)

Trey Miller: Ah. The classic stuff. Like this! "Hey Booboo! Let's go get a pic-a-nic basket!" Yogi Bear. (smiles happily…then sighs) Too bad I don't get Boomerang. XO

Yamimaru: A lot.

Ninetalesuk: And I did. (boots him off a cliff)

Chosen Child of Darkness: The second genre IS Drama…:P

Cloud-821: Instead of experiencing Great Expectations…Davis is experiencing Crappy Expectations. (shot) Okay, bad pun. X.X

Lord of swords and waffles: Can I have another waffle?

Digi fan: Yet you always wait anyway. ;P

Kmoney: If your mind wanders, does your head go with it?

duskmon87: Eh…I could if I would, but I had the original script deleted immediately after I was banned. Sorry.

bobbyneko: Are you taking language class from Veemon?

Yami Vizzini: I ALWAYS check reviews…even those for Zero 2.

As for the name things…remember, they were only mentioned in the past as part of Joshua Kido's memories of them. He was remembering their names as he recalled them…which meant their current names instead of their past names. And as for Shaun…well, Ryo Akiyama didn't exist in the future 02 timeline anyhow. Call it an alternate series of outcomes of the second season. As for Dragomon, he was waiting for Kari's light powers to grow in strength before absorbing them. He's waiting for her powers to purify (which was why he was so miffed about Darkheart 'tainting' Kari's light).

Did I just make these up? With the exception of the last one, yes. Do they make sense? I hope so. :P

And yes, Housemates WILL have a definitive ending. I still have other fics in the wings (Comeback Tour, Battle of the Shinobi, and the Digital Deception).

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 13: Taking Root

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:27 PM/

Kari suddenly shivered.

Cody quietly asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I suddenly felt weird though," muttered Kari. Why had she felt such a strange chill? Something was happening…but what?

Kari momentarily felt a pang of sorrow. As the Child of Light, she was much more susceptible to the powers of darkness. If something of ill nature or dark origin was occurring, she would be able to feel it. When she sometimes remembered the darkness of Dragomon, the malice of Myotismon, and the horrible rage of Darkheart, she would always get the shivers. It was ironic; she was the most powerful weapon against pure darkness, and she was weak to it.

Kari looked around; she couldn't see Davis at any of the tables. "Does anyone know where Davis is?"

"I don't know. I wasn't paying attention," replied TK.

Yolei sighed. "He's probably found a little spot on his own. Don't worry."

"But Davis might be feeling upset after all the rejection," replied Kari.

"If he feels that bad, we'll give him a pick-me-up. He'll be fine!" exclaimed Yolei.

Seconds later, Poromon peered at Yolei from the ground. "PSST! Yolei!"

Yolei blanched at the sight of Poromon on the ground; what the heck was she doing down here? "POROMON!" loudly whispered the Child of Caring. "What are you doing down here?"

"I snuck down here! And just to let you know, we Digimon saw trouble!" exclaimed Poromon.

Yolei blinked; a strange feeling of dread came to her heart. "Trouble?" She quickly motioned for everyone to come and listen to Poromon.

xxxx

/Gym Rooftop, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:30 PM/

Impmon snorted. Trouble was brewing.

Normally, he liked trouble. Heck, trouble was his middle name! He was Impmon! An IMP! Imps were notorious for causing trouble! Bring him a box of nails, and he'd pop so many tires Goodyear would have a field day! Bring him to a slumber party, and all the guests would leave within the half hour! Bring him to a VIP party for a the debut of a new electronics business, and he would inadvertently bring about the bankruptcy of the entire company within a week…and if there was alcohol being served, make that five days!

So why was he feeling so hesitant?

He had long ago noticed that a group of Digimon had gathered on the opposite side of the gym rooftop; he recognized them as the Digibrats he had seen yesterday. He had watched as the pink bird and the cat had gone off somewhere, leaving the yellow puffball and the bat-pig behind to watch. He didn't care.

He was too captivated by the fact Daichi had interfered with the fight.

Which brought him back to one thing…why was he hesitating? Why was he feeling his innards quiver at the thought of going down there to bust some heads?

Was he…afraid? Was he afraid of revealing himself?

_Feh…I ain't afraid! I'm the toughest marauder around! I ain't scared of nobody!_

Then why couldn't he move?

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:33 PM/

The four Digidestined were all stock-still after Poromon finished explaining what she had been sent to explain. "And that's what happened! The others sent me to get you, because Davis is getting the stuffing beat out of him!"

TK's fist clenched subconsciously. "How dare they…bigots. All of them!"

"Their fear is making them act…they fear Digimon because of what happened…and they want to stop them because they fear something like that will happen again." Cody sighed as he stood up from the table, the wind blowing through his brown hair; sometimes, he regretted being in the same species as some of the many idiots and extremists in the world.

Kari couldn't help but gulp at the thought of what was happening. "We have to go help Davis…we have to stop Waya!"

Yolei stood up straight, her eyes staring towards the high school section of the lunch tables. "I'm going to get some backup. You guys go on ahead!" Yolei immediately took off into a run.

Kari quickly grabbed Poromon as TK said, "Come on, let's go!" The Child of Hope led the way while the Child of Humility and the Child of Light followed.

xxxx

/Central Alley, Gym, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:34 PM/

Waya snickered as he blocked an angry kick from Daichi. "I recognize you now…you're one of my workers. Daichi Etsuya, correct?"

Daichi Etsuya didn't answer as he stepped back to get some room.

Davis Inoue, as bloody and tired as he was, couldn't help but stand up and choke out, "Daichi…this is my business. It's not your place…to step in…"

"Shut up," angrily responded Daichi. "I just made it my business. Besides, you're in no condition to even stand."

Davis grunted as he suddenly clutched his side; a wave of pain shot through him. _Man…I feel like I was trampled by a Deltamon…_

Seiji Waya sighed as he lightly ran a hand through his orange hair. "It's quite surprising actually…you've carried out my work before. I've seen you roughed up a few nobodies. Why stick up for this trash?"

Daichi didn't answer Waya. But in his mind…the answer was completely clear. _Because…he's shown me something that I desire…something that I want. He's shown me…who I want to be…_

Daichi charged.

_Someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to stand up for themselves, their friends, and their ideals…_

The black-haired boy roared as he launched a fist at Waya's face.

_Even at the cost of their own life!_

Waya calmly sidestepped away, using his foot to trip the boy up. Daichi grimaced as he fell onto the ground, but he was back on his feet in no time. He immediately sent a kick at Waya's gut, but the high school student merely dodged and pushed Daichi in the back, using the boy's momentum to send him flailing onto the ground.

Daichi Etsuya whirled around only to see Waya standing over him. The black-haired Digidestined froze…and in hindsight, he wondered why the heck he had gotten into a fight with the toughest bully in the school.

Waya sneered. "Pathetic." He kicked Daichi in the side, causing the boy to recoil in pain. He then turned his attention to Veemon, who still struggled against the two goons restraining him. "I think I'll break your face."

Veemon growled as he tried to break free. All he could see was a foot coming at him-

**SLAM!**

Veemon blinked; a body was sitting in front of him.

Waya's eyes widened slightly; his foot had hit the gut of Davis. The boy had fallen into the path of the kick so he could get there in time…it was clever, if not foolhardy. "Idiot."

Davis coughed up blood on Waya's foot. "A gift."

The orange-haired bully scowled as he grabbed Davis by the neck and slammed him into the wall of the gym. "You miserable little piece of garbage! If you think standing up for that little monster's honorable, then you have another thing coming!"

_POW!_

Davis grimaced as Waya tossed him into the wall. Veemon yelled, "DAVISH!"

Waya seethed as he clenched his fists. "Do you even understand what Digimon are? They're monsters! I lost my house to them…and I know people who have lost friends and relatives to them! They're an abomination…" Waya roared as he turned Davis around, glaring straight into the boy's bloody face. "…and if you think it's noble to protect that weakling, you're **WRONG!** YOU DON'T KNOW MY HATRED FOR THEM AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE…AND YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND!"

Davis was silent as his mind remembered…

The dark deeds of UmbraDevimon, Demon, and BelialMyotismon…

His agonizing corruption into Darkheart by UmbraDevimon…

The scathing laughter of his dark alter-ego…

Everything he had done…

Davis smirked at his combatant, showing off his bloody mouth. "Yeah…I can understand…" His eyes stared straight into Waya's dark orbs; the Child of Miracles oozed with defiance. "And…**so**_ **what?**_"

Those words struck Daichi hard. Davis PERSONALLY knew what Digimon had done…and yet he still protected one with such undying ferocity. Even though Digimon had done something to him and those he loved…he still protected one. _Unreal…how can such a guy exist in today's cold world…?_

Waya, however, was not so impressed, if at all. The bully snarled. "FINE. Then I'll beat some sense **_into you!_**"

**KAPOW!**

A fist collided with Waya's cheek. The goons gaped. Davis blinked. Daichi and Veemon's mouths dropped.

"Keep your hands off of Davis," ordered TK as he brushed his fist.

Veemon cheered, "TK!"

As Kari and Cody ran into the alley, TK helped Davis to his feet. "You don't look so good Davis."

"Put a sock in it TZ," muttered Davis…but he had a smile on his face.

TK smiled; it had been a while since Davis had misspelled his name (though he still had no idea why Davis could keep messing up considering his name had only two letters in it). By now, Kari and Cody had caught up.

Kari's breath drew short at the sight of Davis. He was bruised all over. Blood leaked from his nose, his mouth, and his lips. There was a cut on his forehead. Kari was in absolute awe…even if Waya was powerful, Davis had fought and triumphed over tougher enemies. So why was he so hurt? "Davis…how did…?"

"Hey Kari…don't worry about me…I asked for this." Davis shifted his weight so that he would lean against the wall and not TK.

TK blinked. "How? Why?"

"Because…I gave him myself instead of Veemon." Davis wiped his mouth off with a sleeve before turning his attention to Waya, who was just getting up. "But still…thanks for the backup…"

Cody, meanwhile, was standing over Daichi, who had a look of confusion and shame on his face. "You seem troubled…Daichi Etsuya, was it?"

"What do you want? You a friend of Davis'?"

"Yes," replied Cody. "He told us about you…and about your partner."

Daichi's eyes widened. _WHAT?_ "WHY?"

Cody sighed; he was probably going to regret what he was about to do…but if the relations between humans and Digimon were ever going to change, some sacrifices would have to be made. He glanced up at the two Digimon staring down at them.

Upamon.

Patamon.

Cody stared into Upamon's eyes. At that moment, the little In-Training knew what to do.

Moments later, a childish 'BANZAI!' could be heard. Upamon plopped down onto Cody's head softly. The sight caused Daichi's eyes to bug out of his head. "A…then…are you…?"

"Yes. I have a partner as well." Cody quietly grabbed Upamon, holding him in his arms. "His name is Upamon."

"Hello!" chirped the little Digimon.

Daichi Etsuya was flabbergasted; he had thought the people who had Digimon were very few…and were in hiding to keep themselves from being found out. But if this little guy had a partner…what about the other two? Were there more human-Digimon partners than he had first perceived?

As these thoughts rumbled through Daichi's mind, Waya was getting to his feet. The orange-haired bully looked at the newcomers.

The hat boy, who had punched him.

The little shorty, who had a yellow puffball on his head. _ANOTHER Digimon…_

The brown-haired girl with the camera wrapped around her neck…and in her arms was a pink bird. _ANOTHER! THEY'RE LIKE COCKROACHES!_

"Boss."

Everyone turned around to see four more people standing at the entrance to the alley. Like Waya and his goons, they had muscular builds, and – with the exception of the brown-haired one on the left – they all possessed dark hair.

Waya chuckled. "Well…glad you remembered to come."

Yes, they were more of Waya's goons. Before following Davis, Waya had told four of his personal bullies to come after a certain period of time if he had yet to return from his 'meeting'. The period of time had passed.

The four goons chuckled as they moved in on the entire group. TK grimaced; three bad guys would've been a tough fight, but a beatable one nonetheless…but SEVEN? Not without using their Digimon…and that was a no-no. It would make all of Davis' injuries worth squat.

Waya stepped back, joining his four-goon squad. "You two. Come here."

The goons restraining Veemon released him before running to the side of their boss. Veemon immediately rushed to his partner's side. "Davish! You okay?"

"Heh. I'm fine…remember, I'm the toughest guy around!" boasted the Child of Miracles.

Waya snorted at the sight. _Sickening…soiling their hands on those digital scum…not even human!_

TK quietly turned his gaze to Waya. The same hatred he had for darkness was rising to the surface…because what Waya had done to Davis was inexcusable.

And in a moment's notice, he made his decision. "Patamon. Come on down."

Waya's eyes bugged out of his head when he saw a flying bat…er, pig, um whatever, DIGIMON floating down to sit on his head. "ANOTHER?"

Meanwhile, on the rooftops, Impmon was absolutely bewildered. They had all gone down without a second thought…for their human partners.

Then, he innocently shrugged. "Eh, what the hey." He then jumped off the rooftop. "CANNONBALL!"

Everyone's heads shot upward to see Impmon falling down into the alley, unfurling from his cannonball before landing nimbly on his feet in front of Daichi.

Daichi Etsuya blanched. "Impmon! You-"

"Decided to come down and join the partay! Heh…and youse told me that I would be mincemeat if I showed myself." He shot Daichi a cocky glance. "Looks like youse was wrong, boy."

"…" Daichi couldn't say anything. Not at first anyway. A small chuckle escaped his lips. "Yeah…guess I was."

Waya, meanwhile, was seething. _Those traitors! Traitors to the human race, all of them!_ "Alright guys, listen up! WASTE THEM ALL!"

The six goons chuckled as they cracked their knuckles. It was them against a beat-up Davis, a tired Daichi, a fresh TK, Kari, and Cody (for whatever THAT counted for, the goons reasoned), and five wimpy Digimon. This fight was in the bag, especially with Waya at the helm!

"I don't think so!"

Waya and the goons blinked; they turned around to see six newcomers.

Matt Ishida.

Mimi Tachikawa.

Sora Takenouchi.

Izzy Izumi.

Yolei Inoue.

And Tai Kamiya, the one who had spoken. An angry frown was on his face. "If you think you're going to beat on our friends, you've got another thing coming!"

Waya scowled. _More of them…but it looks like they have no Digifreaks…_

A gasp came from Mimi's mouth. "Oh my…look!" She pointed at Davis.

"I see," replied Matt, a scowl on his face. "Okay…which one of you punks beat up on Davis?"

"It was that orange-haired meanie!" yelled Veemon.

Waya grunted arrogantly. "Sure. It was me…but what are YOU going to do about it?"

A white and purple cat suddenly landed between Waya's goons and the group of older Digidestined. Kari gaped. "Gatomon!" Impmon nervously twitched. _Oh boy…not her again._

Gatomon smirked. "If you guys want to get a piece of my friends, you'll have to go through me!"

"Oh yeah? You and what army? boasted a goon.

Five silhouettes leapt off the roof, landing beside Gatomon.

Agumon.

Gabumon.

Biyomon.

Palmon.

Tentomon.

All five simultaneously yelled, "US!"

Suddenly, the goons didn't look so confident.

Waya, however, was furious. "You're kidding…ALL OF YOU ARE DIGIMON LOVERS?"

"Depends on the kind of Digimon. Some of them – like the ones who destroyed Odaiba – are absolute trash. But the kind like our friends here…" Tai smiled as he pointed at Agumon. "…are great to hang around!"

"Naïve. All of you!" roared Waya.

Yolei slowly started walking over to Waya and his goons. Cody blanched as she started cracking her knuckles. _Uh oh. I know that look. This is not going to be pretty_.

"So…you guys think you can beat up Davis and just lord over everyone else in the student body because you're tough?" Yolei's tone was growling, and it caused a deep chill to grip the seven bullies. "Well guess what…" Her eyes suddenly became aflame as she charged at the Waya and his goons. She roared, "_YOU HAVEN'T **SEEN** TOUGH!_"

"**WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"**

xxxx

Meanwhile, less than one mile away from the school, a purple cloud of mist suddenly appeared in a city intersection. Traffic lights went on the fritz. Cars suddenly died. TVs and computers in the immediate vicinity of the area flickered before shutting down.

Three separate growls emerged from the purple fog. As it faded, the silhouettes dissolved into three monstrous figures.

Tyrannomon.

Deltamon.

And at the head of the group was the skeletal beast known as Skullgreymon.

The three beasts roared as they stormed toward the school. They sensed Digimon there.

And they were hungry for their data.

xxxx

Davis blanched at the sight of the moaning, bruised, and unconscious bodies of Waya and his goons. What he had just seen was akin to the rage of an angry god. _Mental note. Never get on Yolei's vengeful side._

Yolei sighed. "That'll teach em'."

All of the Digimon suddenly tensed up. Upamon and Poromon quickly started glowing.

Upamon digivolve to……Armadillomon!

Poromon digivolve to……Hawkmon!

Kari blinked as Hawkmon dropped out of her arms. "Hey! What's going on!"

"We have company," muttered Gatomon, her fur on edge.

A piercing roar suddenly broke through the air.

"FIRE BLAST!"

"TRIPLEX FORCE!"

"DARK SHOT!"

Everyone tilted their heads toward the outside of the school grounds to see a red fireball, a large blue ray, and an orange, shark-shaped missile zooming in on their position. The Digimon paled; they wouldn't be able to digivolve in time before the attacks hit!

Daichi Etsuya screamed out of impulse. "OH MAN! WE'RE SCREWED!"

_No we're not…not while I'm still kicking!_ Davis grimaced as he whispered, "Holy Armor Energize…"

The Crest of Miracles shined as Davis' body was enveloped in a golden glow. One second later, it faded, revealing him within the Armor of Miracles. Daichi's eyes widened at the sight. "What the…Davis…?"

Davis' eyes suddenly widened as power surged through him. He leapt to his feet – his wounds feeling like little scratches now – and flew upward towards the incoming attacks. Daichi gasped out of utter shock. Impmon blubbered, "W-W-W-WHAT? WHAT DA HECK IS DAT BOY DOIN'?"

"Saving us," nonchalantly replied Gabumon.

Davis smashed his foot into the tip of the Dark Shot missile, causing it to erupt into a ball of fire and flame. Fragments of it rained down on the nearby ground before disintegrating into particles. _That'll get everyone's attention for sure! I have to do this quick!_

Panels in Davis' armor opened up as he yelled, "Magna Ray!" The golden rays of light erupted from the panels, colliding with the fireball and blue ray; both attacks nullified each other. Davis immediately charged for the bigger threat; Skullgreymon.

The bony Ultimate roared as it swung its arms and tail at the Child of Miracles. The agile boy dodged every attack before getting in close and slamming his fist into Skullgreymon's chin. He finished up by throwing the large Ultimate into the ground, causing an indent to form.

Davis' turned to see a set of jaws clamping onto him. He quickly propped open the bony jaws with his hands and feet; the mouth happened to be that of Deltamon's left hand. Deltamon roared as it tried to crush Davis in one fell swoop.

Davis immediately zoomed backward – causing the mouth to shut tight in front of him – before grabbing the Champion's hand and _flipping him over_. The Deltamon howled as it was slammed back first into the ground. Unconsciousness arrived moments later.

Davis set his eyes on the last one: Tyrannomon.

Tyrannomon was almost upon the others. _Oh no!_

"FIRE BLAST!"

The Digimon immediately prepared to digivolve. Daichi froze as the fiery ball of flame neared them. _Oh man…this is it…!_

"HA HA HA!"

That laughter came from Impmon. "Heh…well whaddya know…looks like comin' to dis place wasn't a bad thing after all! Free butt-kickin'!" As Impmon spoke, Daichi's digivice began glowing in his pocket. "And if dis kinda stuff is gonna be a regular occurrence with youse guys around…then there's no WAY I'm gonna let dese kids die!"

His body was awash in a white glow.

Impmon digivolve to……Gremlimon!

As the light immediately faded, the figure leapt at the fireball and punched through with it a massive fist, causing the flames to fade. As the new creature landed, it could be fully seen.

The new Digimon was roughly seven feet tall…but that was only because it was crouching down into a sort of 'frog' position. His entire body was covered with short purple fur, save for the face, which was covered by short white fur. His legs seemed small, but that's because he was crouching; they were lined with lean muscles. His arms, meanwhile, were long; each one was five feet long. The muscles grew large near the hands, giving off the impression of a thick club. His gloves were gone, revealing thick hands, fingers, and red claws. His feet were wide like dog feet, and the toes ended in sharp red nails. The yellow smiley face on his belly had morphed into a grinning red face that had devil horns protruding from it; the symbol screamed 'malicious'. His mouth was lined with fangs, and his ears were now large and fan-like; the back of his ears was lined with purple fur, and the skin inside the ears was gray in color. His green eyes glinted with mischief. He chortled in a deep, yet childish voice; the traces of his Brooklyn accent were gone. "Hah! What a rush!"

Daichi blanched at the sight of his partner's Champion form. "I…Impmon?"

"The name's Gremlimon now!" The palm of his right hand spawned a green fireball as Tyrannomon charged. "And that dino's about to get a taste of my BADA BANG!" Gremlimon hurled the green fireball at the digital dinosaur.

BOOM!

Tyrannomon howled as the explosive fireball sent him hurtling backwards into the ground. All three Digimon now lay smack-dab in the middle of the road adjacent to the school, causing quite the traffic jam. The chain-link fence that had separated the school from the road was now demolished. Gremlimon chuckled as he clenched his fists. "Now to bash their faces in!"

"No."

Gremlimon blinked as Davis set down in front of him. In a flash, his armor disappeared. "We aren't going to kill them; it's not our place. We're only going to send them home."

Gremlimon snorted. "And how the heck are we gonna do that?"

"I have a solution," said Izzy as he pulled his pineapple laptop out of his backpack. "I got a wireless adapter recently; I can use it to access the Internet from anywhere within Odaiba! And this means access to a computer network!" He powered it on and pointed the screen toward Davis. "Do it."

"Right." Davis pulled out his blue D-3. "Digiport open!"

In a flash of bright light, the three invading Digimon disappeared. Gremlimon grimaced as he dedigivolved to Impmon. "No fair. My fun ended WAY too early ya joik."

Sora walked over to Davis and asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah," replied Davis with a chuckle. "After that, the wounds don't feel so bad."

Daichi Etsuya was silent; he was still in awe over the fact Davis had somehow donned a set of golden armor, flown into the sky, and fought two giant Digimon. And speaking of the third Digimon, his partner had somehow become different…what was it called…digivolving?

As Armadillomon and Palmon poked the unconscious Waya, Biyomon remarked, "Well…that went quite well, all things considering."

At that moment, practically every student at the school – drawn by the ruckus of the three giant Digimon – appeared at the entrance of the central alley.

All of the Digidestined and their partners sweatdropped. Tentomon sarcastically remarked, "How come someone ALWAYS opens their mouth at a time like this?"

xxxx

/Principal Motoyama's Office, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 1:00 PM/

Principal Jonathon Motoyama sighed as he rubbed his bald head with worry. Sitting in chairs at the front of his desk were Davis Inoue, Kari Kamiya, TK Takaishi, Yolei Inoue, Cody Hida, Tai Kamiya, Sora Takenouchi, Matt Ishida, Mimi Tachikawa, Izzy Izumi, and Daichi Etsuya. Their partners sat beside them.

The principal quietly said, "As you know, the student body has been split apart by what has happened."

"Yeah. Too bad there wouldn't be a student body without us," muttered Tai as he rubbed his sore cheek; a result of what had happened earlier. Tai had tried to explain that the Digimon that had done the damage to the school had been returned to the Digital World. A student said he was full of dung (albeit with a more vulgar synonym, if you get my meaning) before punching him in the face. By that time, the faculty had arrived to clear everything up before sending the Digidestined to the principal's office.

"Most of them are anti-Digimon. However, there are a few who bought your explanation of what happened near the alley with the Digimon. You also have some on your side for 'Veemon's' little stunt in Mrs. Hakashi's class. Oh…and I'm certain a lot of people are happy that you put Seiji Waya in his place." Waya, despite his careful methods of letting others bully for him, had a record. Beating up Davis was the last straw. Suspension would follow soon.

Matt sighed. "But I'm sure you have something else in mind for us."

Motoyama nodded. "Indeed. I'm afraid that after what has happened today, your Digimon have been revealed to the public. You know what this will mean. Angry letters. Discrimination. Death threats. There will be children who will despise you for being associated with Digimon. Anti-Digimon teachers might go so far as to lower your grades…so let me ask you again; are you sure you want to let your partners still come with you to this school?"

This elicited a chuckle from Davis. "Of course…do ya think I would've gone through all of this just to back down now?"

Motoyama looked at all of their faces. Each one showed a mixture of defiance, determination, and doggedness. They wouldn't back down…they would not. The principal sighed. "Very well…then I shall create a Policy on Digimon for this school. The guidelines are as follows." He paused to take a breath.

"Number one: if someone wishes to bring a Digimon to the school grounds, permission must be obtained from the parents."

"Number two: if someone does bring a Digimon, they are to remain outside. You may not socialize with the Digimon until either recess or lunch."

"Number three: if your Digimon is found to be destructive to school property or student lives, then we will promptly contact authorities and permanently ban them from coming back to the school grounds."

"Number four: should a Digimon kill a human being, then authorities will be called and asked to take down the beast. No exceptions."

"Number five: should a destructive Digimon be extremely impervious and/or large, then the military will be called in to put them down. No exceptions."

"Number six: if you see someone associating with a Digimon, do not try to stop them by violent and nonviolent means. Such acts of prejudice will be rewarded with a detention."

Motoyama sighed again. "It'll be more clear once the guidelines are down on paper. Now that we have that settled, you and everyone else are dismissed for the day; school's ending early due to the damage caused."

The Digidestined did not move…although they were slightly puzzled by Motoyama's relatively calm words. "You have something to ask of me?"

Izzy nodded. "Yes sir. With all due respect…why are you being so lenient on us?"

Motoyama was silent.

Then, he smiled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a digivice, much to the shock of the other Digidestined. "Because…I too have a partner. His name is Betamon…and if things were a bit different, he would be here with me. Even though I was surprised to find him in my home one day, he has proven to be an intelligent, witty, if slightly hungry being. I am proud to call myself his partner."

Motoyama almost beamed at the sight of Davis' smile. The relations were improving already. "Perhaps one day, it'll be where I can bring him to the school with me…until then, watch yourselves."

The Digidestined left the principal's office. As the principal spoke over the intercom informing the student body of the early dismissal, Mimi let out a breath of relief. "Wow, that was close…I thought he was going to close the book on us for sure!"

"It just goes to show you that it just takes one of us to get you to change your mind," replied Hawkmon.

As they walked through the hallways – with Davis and Veemon – in the lead, they slowly encountered the other students. They could feel the stares and glares…and they could hear the whispers.

"Look at them all…"

"They think they're all that."

"Why are they walking so casually?"

"I can't believe they're actually walking TOGETHER…"

"Idiots."

"How dare they betray humanity…?"

"Those fools…"

"I wish they'd just drop dead."

"They should've never come to be…"

"Those Digimon deserve to burn for what they did."

"Monsters…"

Shivers came upon Kari in droves; the hatred and dark feelings she was getting were affecting her ability to look straight. Their hatred and anger…why at us…?

"_**SHUT UUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!"**_

All of the Digidestined leapt backward out of surprise; the students in the hall paled at the outburst. Davis Inoue continued his angry tirade. He had enough of the prejudice…enough of the anger…and enough of the hatred.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN ACT SO HIGH-AND-MIGHTY? WELL GUESS WHAT! _YOU OWE YOUR LIVES TO THESE DIGIMON!_ ODAIBA WOULD STILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN CINDERS WITHOUT THEM! YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER? YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEMEAN THEIR LIVES? YOU THINK YOU CAN DENY THEIR RIGHT TO EXIST? _WELL YOU CAN'T!_ UNLESS YOU'VE SACRIFICED BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS TO PROTECT THIS WORLD, _I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANY COMPLAINING!"_

All of the students were stunned out of silence. The Digidestined were in absolute shock. The Digimon were awed by the raw power of Davis' words.

Well, Impmon managed to grin and humorously say, "Nice touch."

Davis sighed out of relief. "Ah…had to get that out. Let's go Veemon."

As Davis and Veemon walked on, Daichi and Impmon were the first to move again. Daichi was still reeling over the events of the day…everything that had happened…all that had occurred…and yet Davis still wanted to stick up for his partner. For Digimon. For their very lives.

Davis had stood up for Veemon…in a way, he had stood up for all the Digidestined. It was a magnificent feeling to behold; one of awe…and respect, where both had once been in short supply.

One thing was for sure, Daichi now wanted to get to know Davis more. If at all possible…he wanted to be something he had never been before.

A friend.

After all, he mused as he watched Davis and Veemon exit the school's front doors; they HAD made things easier for him.

_Davis…thanks._

xxxx

As Davis and Veemon left Odaiba School – with the other Digidestined close behind him – a figure in black watched from atop a tall hotel rooftop. He quietly spoke into a cell phone.

"Mr. Bishop. Phase One is complete."

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well…this little subplot is finally over. The Digidestined have revealed themselves to the school, as well as their partners…but despite all that, Daichi is the only one to find out about the Armor of Miracles.

Thus far, it has been a great pleasure writing this for the past two months (feels longer, doesn't it?). But I must tell you that the first part of Housemates has ended…and the second part will begin next.

The second part will be comprised of the remainder of the Bonding chapters (Chizuru, Momoe, Subaru, and Sasuke), another chapter featuring Daichi (how much did you like Impmon's Champion form, FYI?), and a subplot revolving around Ken that features romance, rabid fangirls, and a time bomb!

But the majority of the saga will be comprised of one I'm sure you're all looking forward to. What is it? Well…

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 14: The Prank War

xxxx

Author's Notes: …well, I'm sure you know. ;)

See you soon, and please review!


	14. The Prank War

Standard Disclaimer: Ooh ooh aah aah! Fuga-mama-shoo-hoo! Poo!

Author's Notes: Kindergartener speak for 'I don't own Digimon. Bam!' :D

(smiles) It seems everyone's forgotten who Mr. Bishop is. He was first mentioned in episode 60 of 'A Revision'. Go reread if you've forgotten! As for the whole 'Phase One' bit…well…it shall be revealed in a future fic.

To the reviews!

Cloud-821: Don't forget; Joe wasn't there either.

Lord of swords and waffles: I made Gremlimon up.

Alforce Zero: I didn't Impmon had a regular digivolution line. Even so, Impmon's Mega form will still be Beelzemon. (blinks at the sight of Yolei) Oh crap! RUNNING TIME!

Ninetalesuk: (stares quietly at the Winged Dragon of Ra) … (blinks as the Winged Dragon of Ra crashes into his head and falls to the ground) Hard for a playing card to hurt people. (winces) Ow. Paper cut. X.o

Yamimaru: …okay. (slowly backs away from the review)

Dark Qiviut: (chuckles) You sure seem to be more nasty in your words about Shuffle on your profile. :P

And what anxiety attack? O.o

As for MajinMewtwo…

MajinMewtwo: Heh. This whole thing won't be a mere Yamaki ripoff. ;)

FYI, Dark Qiviut wants a word with you. (loudly starts yelling) COME ONE, COME ALL! A MATCH BETWEEN DOUBLE M AND DAIRY QUEEN! (shot by both Majin and Qiviut) Ow. X.X

Trey Miller: The monsters appeared for three reasons. One, it caught the attention of everyone in the school. Two, it allowed for Impmon to digivolve. Three, it was to help set up a subplot in a future chapter.

SPLAT.

(winces as Godzilla steps on Trey) Owch.

Yami Vizzini: …I just recognized a major typo. It should say 'twelve' instead of nine. That part was continuing on from the last time mentioned, while the time mentioned in parentheses was…ah screw it. I'm simplifying it.

ficmaster: Uh…I never got them in the first place. I think they're somewhere in Siberia.

Anthony1: KAHN!

Mewgia Mirrorcoat: You'll find out…in another story. :P

Dot Cubed: Too bad; you'll continue to see Beelzemon. But don't worry…when he appears, he'll have more of a weapon than his big gun. And no toys involved!

Silver Warrior: Short.

Kmoney: (blinks at the last question about Bada Bang) Um…uh…well, ya see uh…LOOK, TOMATO! (hides)

Digi fan: Indeed.

duskmon87: (blinks) Uh…hi?

Yami Shadowclaw: Yeah. Should've included a 'sarcasm' tag. And as for how Impmon knew Gatomon…uh, Impmon WAS sent flying by Gatomon in chapter 11, correct? That's how.

MAJOR NOTE: Due to FFnet's recent ban on copyrighted music lyrics, I had to remove the lyrics to 'Blow Me Away' in Revision's episode 53, as well as the lyrics to 'Simple and Clean' in chapter eight of Housemates. Reread those segments and tell me if any of the impact was removed (yeah, it sucks, but what can you do?).

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 14: The Prank War

xxxx

/Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Sunday, November 27th, 9:01 AM/

"Agh…" yawned Davis as he slowly exited his room. Waking up late on Sunday wasn't rare for him…but he still felt especially tired after the harrowing events of yesterday. Especially after getting pummeled to near oblivion by Waya and his thugs. _Man…I feel wiped out._

Come Monday, however, Davis would be ready to face the music again if necessary. He'd already gotten written permission from Mr. and Mrs. Inoue the moment he got home yesterday, as had Yolei. He had no doubt the other Digidestined would do the same with their folks.

The thought of it gave Davis a smile. The fact that Daichi had revealed Impmon to the public was proof enough that the boy had turned over a new leaf. The fact that Principal Motoyama of all people had a partner was uplifting. And with the new guidelines coming up, the bridge between humans and Digimon was going to become stronger.

Davis smiled; he didn't feel so tired anymore. There was nothing that could bring him down now!

SLIP.

"WAAAH!"

**BAM!**

"OW!" Davis winced as he held the back of his head out of agony. It felt like a jackhammer had taken up residence on his skull. Sitting up, Davis looked down at the floor to find the object that had brought about his fall.

It was a bar of soap.

Davis raised an eyebrow; soap? _How'd that get out in the hallway?_ Shrugging – chalking it up to a mere coincidence and/or oddity – Davis grabbed it, got up, and walked towards the bathroom to return it.

Yolei Inoue suddenly walked up to Davis and swiped the soap. "I was looking for this! Thank you for finding it," she said in a rushed tone as she hurried off into the bathroom. Judging by her want of the soap, as well as her unkempt appearance – her lavender hair was tousled and she only wore a large red shirt that went down to her knees – she wanted to take a bath.

Davis frowned as Yolei walked into the bathroom. Something about the previous situation seemed odd to him…oh well. It was nothing. Maybe he was just feeling iffy after yesterday.

As Davis walked down the hallway towards the kitchen, Poromon poked his head out from a nearby closet. _Shucks! I can't believe I dropped it! Now I'll have to get another bar of soap!_ Poromon flew out of the closet to wait for the time when Yolei would get out of the bathroom.

xxxx

/Kitchen, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:11 AM/

As Davis poured more milk upon his cereal, Subaru Inoue suddenly walked in, wearing the customary apron of the Inoue Convenience Store. "Well, it's about time you woke up."

"Where is everyone? The only person I've seen is Yolei," replied Davis as he munched on his cereal.

Subaru spoke as she pulled a packet of fruit juice out of the fridge. "Momoe and Jun went to the mall to hang out, Chizuru went to Taekwondo class, and Mantarou is out just walking through the city. Is Yolei up yet?"

"Yeah, ran into her after slipping on a bar of soap," muttered Davis irritably. "Not nice to go through."

"I gathered," replied Subaru as she threw the empty packet into the trashcan. "If you don't have anything planned for today, Sasuke and I would appreciate some help in the store."

"Sure thing Mrs. Inoue," replied Davis as the woman left the kitchen. As he ate, he heard an odd sound of metal clattering onto the floor…well, he would have if crunchy nuts in his cereal didn't obstruct his auditory acuity.

Several minutes later, he finished eating and placed his dishes in the sink. He turned around to get on some different clothes – boxers and a white T-shirt weren't exactly suitable for maintaining a store – when he stepped on a fork.

"OW!"

Davis angrily walked on, not bothering to put the fork up. His mind was too clouded by three things; pain from stepping on a fork, suspicion over why physical torment was being inflicted upon him, and soda. Okay, maybe the fact he was still thirsty had something to do with the last one.

As Davis walked out of the kitchen, Veemon walked in through the opposite entryway. In his arms were a spoon and a butter knife. He looked down at the floor and blinked at the sight of the fork. "Oh! I was wondering where that fork was. Guess I dropped it while getting the utensils!" Veemon quickly grabbed the fork and ran out of the kitchen.

xxxx

/Izumi Apartment, Odaiba, 9:30 AM/

Izzy Izumi yawned as he waited for a reply. He had yet to leave his room – which wasn't surprising, considering he had woken up only thirty minutes ago – and he was sitting in front of his laptop.

On his laptop's screen, a small window was opened up. The image of Gennai was there…sitting on a rock. He was sitting in the 'thinker' position, indicating he was in the midst of replying. Izzy tapped his arm patiently as he waited for Gennai's reply.

Finally, a normal image of a cartoonish Gennai hopping up and down replaced the Thinker Gennai. The voice of Gennai came in through his speakers. **"Nope. I have to say no."**

Izzy sighed out of irritation. "I was worried you were lagging for a second there."

Gennai's image sweatdropped. **"Ridiculous! I only took ten seconds to reply!"**

"…oh. Well, guess time and speed seem to matter more when you spend most of your time around computers," nervously replied Izzy as he scratched the back of his head. "Okay…mind repeating your answer?"

"**No."**

Izzy blinked out of surprise. "Seriously? You mean Daichi Etsuya and Principal Motoyama AREN'T Digidestined?"

"**Nope."**

"Then how come they have partners in the first place?"

**"Are you serious? You above all people should know that the Digital World and the Real World are now interconnected forever due to the Odaiba War. No one's going to forget THAT mess…and as a result, it's only natural for more partnerships to be formed!"**

Izzy sighed as he gazed back at Tentomon, who was sleeping on his bed. "But that doesn't explain how people are getting digivices. Sure, they're not like the D-3s…but even though they're an older model, someone had to make them."

**"What of Oikawa? His purple D-3 hatched with his partner. Even though the digivices of the original Digidestined were given to them by the Guardian Beasts, the digivices themselves weren't created by their hand. Digivices are strange objects, subject to the whim of the forces that hold power over the Digital World."**

"…okay. Guess it makes sense."

A sigh came from the speakers. **"Even so, the fact these digivices are older models – and not D-3s – proves that these people are not Digidestined. They have merely been given the privilege of having a partner, nothing more. As for Oikawa's purple D-3…well, that's more of a puzzle to me. His role has yet to be determined."**

"It's okay Gennai. You've cleared up a few things for me. That'll be all."

"**If you say so. Take care of yourself Izzy."** With that, Gennai signed off.

Izzy sighed as he leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling. _So…looks like Daichi and the principal aren't Digidestined after all…but I wonder if there'll ever be new Digidestined?_

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 10:00 AM/

As a few people wandered the aisles looking for wares to purchase, Davis Inoue calmly pulled bags of chips out of a box and placed them on the shelves. As he did so, his mind was in the middle of some rather curious processing.

What was the deal with earlier? First he had slipped on a bar of soap…then he had stepped on a fork. Those things were odd on their own…but still…he had a strange feeling as to their cause.

_It's probably Yolei's fault_, thought Davis as he snorted. _Stupid girl._

As grabbed the box and walked into the back room to get another one, Davis thought back to how he had met Yolei. Truth be told, it hadn't exactly been pleasant…

xxxx

/Flashback/

/Less than Four Years Ago/

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:15 PM/

The eight-year old Davis Motomiya smiled as he dribbled a soccer ball back-and-forth between his feet. He was practicing heavily…because he was going to go one-on-one with Tai Kamiya tomorrow afternoon.

Tai. His idol. The master of soccer.

_I'm going to show Tai how good I've gotten! Maybe I'll be good enough to play on his team!_ Now, Davis honestly knew that he wasn't old enough to play on Tai's team – elementary kids couldn't play on middle school teams – but he knew that he would one day he would be old enough to join his team. And if not that…then he would be on a team and defeat Tai.

It would be a mark of honor to him. To defeat the great Tai. Davis Motomiya grinned at the thought of his team beating Tai's team. _It'll be great! There'll be confetti and cameras and streamers and fireworks…oh, and there'll be ice cream! And cake! Mmm…cake…_

Davis smiled as he continued to dribble. After a few more minutes, he prepared to practice his power kicks. Davis took a deep breath…took a few steps back…ran…and kicked.

The ball sailed toward the goal.

Unfortunately, his aim was a bit off.

It sailed past the empty goal…and towards two girls walking toward the soccer field.

The one in the front ducked.

The one in the back wasn't quite so lucky.

**BAM!**

The second girl yelped as the ball slammed into her face and set her flying to the ground. Davis sweatdropped. _Ouch. I hope I didn't hurt her too bad._

Poor Davis. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into.

Because within moments, the girl was up…and running at him with orange eyes flaming with anger. _"YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT!"_

Davis gulped. "Uh oh." He immediately broke off into a run as the girl chased her. After about twenty seconds of this, the first girl stepped in. "Um…guys? Please stop."

Davis stopped running for one reason: the first girl was Kari Kamiya, his best friend. Oddly enough, so did the second girl. Davis took the time to get a good look at her.

She was a lavender-haired girl that stood a little taller than both him and Kari. Her orange eyes were hidden behind large glasses, and she wore a red shirt and blue jeans. A pink heart symbol was embroidered on her shirt. Unfortunately, her glasses were bent, one of the lens was broken, and her nose was bleeding. Eew. She sure doesn't look good. Then again, that's what happens when you get hit in the face by a soccer ball.

Kari nervously said, "Um, Davis…remember that friend I wanted to introduce you to?" She motioned toward the lavender-haired girl. "Here she is. Yolei Inoue. She's one year older than us, but she's a nice person. Yolei, this is Davis Motomiya, my friend I told you about."

Yolei grimaced as she wiped away some of the blood from her nice. "I see." She had been told that Davis was an exceptionally nice guy. _Horrible aim though. The very least he could do is apologize for hitting me._

Davis frowned as he stared at Yolei. Kari had told him about her…told him that she was quite a nice a person. _She doesn't seem that nice though…she has one heck of a mean streak! _At that moment, he decided to comment on her face. "You sure look awful." It was supposed to be taken as a sympathetic gesture on her injury.

Yolei didn't take it that way. "HMPH! How rude, calling a gentle lady like me awful!"

Davis snickered. "Heh. You sure didn't look like a lady when you chased me!"

"YOU **JERK!** HAVEN'T YOU EVER HEARD OF MANNERS?"

"**YEAH!** AND DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S NOT POLITE TO CHASE PEOPLE?

"**YOU HIT ME IN THE FACE WITH A SOCCER BALL!"**

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, GOT IT?"

"AND YOU NEVER APOLOGIZED!"

"TO A MEANIE LIKE _YOU?_"

"DUNCE!"

"UGLYFACE!"

**"IDIOT!"**

**"STUPIDHEAD!"**

"**_RRRRR!"_** Lightning crackled between the eyes of Davis Motomiya and Yolei Inoue.

All the while, Kari Kamiya was sweatdropping. _Okay…I can see they don't fit together well…_

/End Flashback/

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 10:10 AM/

Davis snickered as he carried two small boxes of candy bars into the candy aisle. _Hee hee…uglyface. That one was golden!_

As Davis prepared to restock the candy bars, he noticed the lollipops were running low. _Huh. Better go get some more_. He walked toward the back door-

**SLAM!**

He fell backwards onto the ground, courtesy of Yolei suddenly opening the door. However, she was none the wiser; for one, Davis was still hidden by the door, out of her sight. And secondly…she was listening to a music CD. "I'm going out mom!"

"Gotcha sweetie," calmly replied Subaru as Yolei walked out the door. Moments later, Davis sat up, angrily rubbing his bleeding nose. He had heard her voice…but he hadn't seen her, so he hadn't seen the headphones…or the CD player clipped to a small belt loop on her blue jeans.

For him, this proved everything to him. _She's out to get me! This must be some kind of revenge…or something…well if she wants a fight, she'll get one!_

But first, he had to clean his nose.

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 1:04 PM/

Yolei sighed as she walked into the store; in her hand was a plastic bag holding a few new books and a technology information pamphlet. She had also put her CD player and headphones in there for convenience. "I'm back!"

"Gotcha sweetie," calmly replied Subaru as she placed some cash into the register. As Yolei walked toward the back door, she didn't notice a hand taping a piece of paper onto her back.

She walked by her father, Sasuke, who was busy mopping the floor. He looked at her quizzically as she walked by…then shrugged as if saying 'What the hey.'

He then kicked her in the rear.

"OW!" yelped Yolei as she turned around and glared daggers at her father. "DAD! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

Sasuke calmly grabbed the paper and handed it to Yolei. "Signs say stuff for a reason," said the older man with a goofy smile as he went back to mopping.

Yolei read the paper, annoyance evident on her face. _A Kick Me sign? How original._

She flipped it over. On it was the image of Davis' head sticking a tongue out at her. _That little…! Fine then. He wants to prank me? I'll strike back!_

xxxx

/Bathroom, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 7:45 PM/

Davis yawned as he stepped into the shower curtains, his clothes sitting in a pile on the floor. He had made sure to lock the door before entering the bathroom, lest someone accidentally step in. _Bleh…I'd hate to have YOLEI walk in on me._

He didn't feel like taking a bath, so he'd just skip straight to a shower. He turned the faucet and let the warm water soak into his hair. He reached for the soap, only to find none. _Weird._

At that moment, Yolei quietly stepped out of the bathroom's towel closet. She recognized Davis' clothes on the floor. _Perfect!_ She laid a piece of paper on top of the toilet before flushing it. Without hesitation, she unlocked the door and ran from the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Seconds later, all the cold water went away…leaving nothing but hot water for the shower.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIEEEE!"**_

Davis immediately leapt out of the shower, his skin red from the heat. His mind was dizzy from the sudden heat and confusion. _How? How'd the toilet flush? I made sure the door was locked!_

He looked down at the toilet…and blanched at the sight of a piece of paper on the toilet.

xxxx

_Dear Davis,_

_Some people say vengeance is best served cold. I have to disagree._

_Prank's on you!_

_Yolei_

xxxx

Davis snarled as he ripped the paper into shreds. _So…she wants to play rough eh? Fine then…she wanted a fight, she'll get more than that_. "I'll give her a war!"

xxxx

/Momoe and Jun's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 7:50 PM/

"Done!"

Veemon stepped back to look at his masterpiece. Then, speaking like an announcer, he said, "Using only a butter knife, I've used over six bars of soap to create a replica of…THE RED RANGER!"

Standing on the floor, surrounding by a bunch of soap shavings (fortunately for him, Momoe and Jun were both in the store helping out, so this little activity had gone unnoticed…for now), was a replica of the original Red Power Ranger. However, since Veemon had been unable to find toy swords, he had to settle for putting a spoon and a fork in the replica's hands.

Meanwhile, Poromon was looking at a book titled _'Soap Sculpting for Dummies'_. "Huh…wonder why they say 'dummies'? Are they insinuating we're dumb?" The In-Training harrumphed as he put the book down.

"Don't be mad! If I hadn't found that book inside Momoe's closet, we wouldn't have gotten such a great idea!" countered Veemon.

"Good point," replied Poromon with a smile.

Then, both of them posed. "GO GO POWER RANGERS!"

Little did the two know that their sudden whim for sculpting a soap figurine had inadvertently led to what would be the greatest hardship to ever befall the Inoue family: the utter ferocity and hilarity that would come to pass as the Prank War.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 15: The Prankster Menace

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bonus points to whoever figures out the inspiration for the next chapter title and all the chapter titles that come afterwards:

_Attack of the Pranks_

_Revenge of the Prankster_

_A New Prank_

_The Prankster Strikes Back_

_Return of the Prank_

Sense a theme? ;P

See you soon, and please review!


	15. The Prankster Menace

Standard Disclaimer: Likmutow wangshoudigi you slappywag! And that's Sonikku-speak for 'I don't own Digimon, you slappywag!'

Author's Notes: Free cookie to whoever gets the above reference. Also, I'll have finished my SATs by the time you read this.

To the reviews (congrats to everyone who guessed 'Star Wars' as the theme)!

Trey Miller: Hmm…you a Naruto fan?

SalanTrong: Welcome! And what do barrettes have to do with anything?

Anthony1: Perhaps…(hides Izzy)

Dark Qiviut: Nope; **_Episode III: Revenge of the Sith_** will be the first PG-13 Star Wars movie EVER.

Lord of swords and waffles: YARGH!

Yamimaru: …what is it with you turning Kari into a lesbian? O.o

Mewgia Mirrorcoat: I'll say this; Oikawa and Blackwargreymon WILL appear in future stuff.

minimoon4me: Actually, it's just normal pranks, without the foolish twist of April 1st. :P

Digi fan: Thanks!

Kmoney: About the last bit…Gabumon's too shy to go nude. :P

Cloud-821: Meanness equals greatness? Eek. O.X;

feral-halliwell: Welcome! And yes.

ficmaster: o.o;

Bluesv20: POWER RANGE-ERU!

DTV: …I'm going to walk away now.

: …short name. O.O;

As for 'Miss Month'…well, you know Jun? Jun equals 'June'? A month? Miss Month?

Ninetalesuk: (sigh) Look, I don't have a lot of free time. I have not one, not two, not three, but FOUR stories going on right now (one is for school). Come summer, more time will clear up. Until then, be patient; I'll catch up.

Dot Cubed: Heh…here's how I went on Christmas morning. (GASP) OH WOW! I GOT THE MEGAZORD! RAR! SMASH!

Silver Warrior: The original: Jason.

spadaken: I sense sarcasm. And welcome!

duskmon87: Actually, it would probably be Davis going for Kari, not the other way around. ;)

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 15: The Prankster Menace

xxxx

/Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Monday, November 28th, 6:53 AM/

Davis…was a man on a mission. A mission that meant a great deal to him…a mission that held great significance. A mission that would shake the world…a mission that would alter the very balance of life itself.

"…there."

Because after Yolei Inoue took her morning shower, he might as well be extinct. Davis quickly closed the cap on the milk jug and rushed out of the bathroom.

xxxx

Yolei yawned as she slowly trudged into the kitchen. She felt particularly hungry this morning, so that meant one thing.

Order up!

She quietly rummaged through the fridge, standing in nothing but her customary red T-shirt. Davis was sitting at the table with the rest of the Inoue family.

"Gee Davis, slow down," said Mantarou before chomping down on a piece of toast.

As Chizuru spread jelly on her piece of toast, she calmly uttered, "He has a point. Wouldn't do you much good to joke."

Davis swallowed one huge mouthful of chewed up cereal before replying, "Yeah whatever." He took another bite.

"SOMEONE'S sure in a hurry today," joked Jun before sipping her orange juice.

Davis didn't reply. He merely gulped down the rest of the milk in his bowl before glancing down at Veemon. "Let's go Veemon!"

"Coming Davish!" exclaimed Veemon as he swallowed two apples in one gulp. As Davis and Veemon left the kitchen, Yolei sat down in her own spot to eat her frosted flakes in silence.

Several moments later, Davis ran back into the kitchen, rubbing his head out of embarrassment. "Permission slip please."

Subaru calmly handed Davis a slip of paper. "Here ya go." Davis immediately ran out again.

"What was the slip for?" asked Momoe.

"Davis needs that to bring Veemon to the school," replied Sasuke as he chewed into some scrambled eggs. "Don't forget yours Yolei."

"Sure thing." Yolei's tone was dull and lackluster as she ate; she would need a shower before getting charged for the day.

xxxx

_**Crick.**_

_Sheeeeeeeee…_

Yolei sighed as the warm water washed over her hair and her body. She was feeling more energized by the second. _Aah…that's more like it_. She quietly reached for the shampoo bottle and poured some onto her head.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!"**_

Yolei shrieked as a cold white liquid washed over her head. She immediately fell backwards into the shower curtains, pulling them down with her. She fell onto the tile floor in a heap, wincing all the while.

As the Child of Caring sat up, she grimaced. "What the…that's not shampoo!" She quickly rubbed some of the liquid off of her face and licked it. "This is MILK!"

But how? Why? Who?

Then…it dawned on her.

Her grimaced turned into an angry scowl.

"Daaaaaaaa_aaaaaVIIIIII**IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!**_"

Davis had been right about one thing: his mission was going to shake the world.

Because right now, all the way across the world, an earthquake struck San Francisco.

It was a coincidence of course (a 2.3 coincidence at that)…but that's beside the point.

It was a harbinger for things to come.

xxxx

/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:21 AM/

Daichi Etsuya grumbled as he shut his locker door. "Darn it…darn it darn it darn it…"

He was not in a happy mood. Due to the new guidelines, he required written permission to bring Impmon along. And THAT was the problem.

His dad was a drunkard who had a bit of a mean streak…and his mom was never around, preferring to spend time with her friends instead of her family. A situation like that would NOT be good for his partner. To top it all off, Impmon had nearly trashed his room out of anger when he found out he couldn't be brought to school that day.

And you wonder why he was ticked off?

_Gah…this sucks. Sucky suck suck_, thought Daichi with a scowl. His yellow eyes glanced at the several students that were at the school; they regarded him with wary eyes.

The feeling of suspicion…he had gotten it before, when he been a bully and an ace lock-picker. But now…for getting it just because of Impmon…it seemed a bit different. It felt different…it felt more personal.

"Daichi!"

Daichi tilted his head around to see Davis running up to him. The black-haired boy asked, "What's up? Where's your partner?"

"Outside…at the elementary swing set. And Impmon?" replied the Child of Miracles.

Daichi slightly faltered. "Oh…he's fine. What's with the rush?"

"I need your help…to set up a prank against my 'sister'." Davis snickered as he patted his backpack; he had spent a lot of time last night prepping for this prank. He quietly looked around – making sure there were no eavesdroppers – and whispered, "I know you used to be a lock-picker. Do you know the combo to Yolei Inoue's locker?"

Daichi frowned…then he smiled. "Prank, huh? Very well…" He quietly pulled out a notebook from his backpack and opened it. "My personal database for most of the lockers in the school. You'd be surprised how many people throw away their papers after memorizing their locker combo."

Davis blanched; at the very beginning of the year, he – like most of the students in the middle and high school branches of the facility – had thrown away their papers depicting their locker number and the combination to its lock. "Do you…have mine?"

"Yep," nonchalantly replied Daichi. "Ah, here we go. Locker number 8-067. Eight grade, sixty-seventh locker."

Davis grinned. He had only just begun.

xxxx

/Eighth Grade Lockers, Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:51 AM/

Yolei seethed as she stomped through the halls toward her locker.

She was angry.

Not only had it taken a good ten minutes to get rid of the feel and stench of milk in her hair, but she had had to rush to get to school on time! _Stupid Davis and his stupid pranks…_ Thoughts delighting in the downfall of Davis ran through her mind as she fiddled with the lock on her locker. _Once I get home, I'm going to prank HIM!_

She opened her locker.

"**WAAH!"**

A bunch of wadded up papers fell on Yolei, smothering her. Her locker had been stuffed full of the stuff (pun fully intended). Several passersby grabbed the papers, straightened them out, and looked at the pictures on them.

The laughter immediately ensued. Yolei grimaced as she looked at the papers…and paled at the sight of what was written on them.

Crudely drawn pictures of her as a fat lady. Of her stuffing herself with fudge brownies. And the most heinous of all…her and Ken smooching to the words of the infernal 'K-I-S-S-I-N-G' song.

She could practically feel the searing heat of the giggling. The pointy jabs of the chuckling. The ferocious punches of their laughter.

Yolei's eyes flared with angry fire. _Davis…I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!_

And somewhere, Davis was laughing.

xxxx

/Science Lab, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 10:39 AM/

"Now class, be careful when dissecting the frog; if you cut too quickly, then you might accidentally cut into the liver or the intestines. Pull out unnecessary organs if needed. We're trying to dissect the stomach, so be careful," droned the science teacher, who wore a spotless white coat that all stereotypical scientists wore. Similar garments had been provided for the students in the class.

Kari cringed at the sight of the wet insides of the dead, yet perfectly preserved frog. "Yech…I could do without the dissection."

Her partner, TK Takaishi, somberly said, "Just calm down Kari. Just be glad it's not of the digital variety." The statement was disquieting to the Child of Light; what if in the future, humans found a way to preserve Digimon that had lost their life? A way to keep them from dissipating into data? If so…it wouldn't be long before school children began dissecting Digimon instead of frogs or rodents. She shivered; such thoughts chilled her too much.

Meanwhile, at a different dissection table, Davis and his partner Daichi were busy working.

However, it wasn't what the science teacher had in mind. As Daichi dissected and pulled out the lungs, the gall bladder, and the heart, Davis shuffled those organs into a small plastic bag.

The Child of Miracles grinned; this was only going to be the third of the five pranks he had planned for Yolei.

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:03 PM/

Yolei groaned as she sat down at the same lunch table she and the new Digidestined always sat at. To her surprise, they weren't there. _Huh…where'd they go?_

Then it dawned on her. Since lunchtime and recess were the only times they could associated with Digimon during the school day, her friends would undoubtedly be eating with them. She should probably go as well…

"Oh Yolei…"

The sound of that voice sent Yolei into a flaming rage. "DAVIS!" She immediately stood and looked around, trying to pinpoint the location of the prankster. In a matter of seconds, Davis rushed behind her, did something to her PB&J sandwich, placed a paper under it, and disappeared into the crowd.

With a huff, Yolei turned around, angrily grabbing her sandwich. "Stupid Davis…I'll find him…" She took a bite.

To her confusion, her teeth and tongue felt something…mushy…and squishy. She finally noticed the paper that had been slipped under her sandwich.

xxxx

_Dear Yolei,_

_Hope you like frog guts._

_Davis the Prankster!_

xxxx

Yolei's face turned green. She immediately ran from her lunch tray and towards the girls' bathroom. The sound of hurling ensued.

As this occurred, Davis slipped ANOTHER piece of paper under the miniature carton of milk inside her lunch box, stashed a pill into the carton, and then ran off again.

Yolei was back one minute later. Her face was still green…but her eyes was red with rage. _I live to maul Davis, I live to maul Davis, I live to maul Davis, I live to maul Davis…_

She needed to calm down. Hawkmon and the other Digidestined would be helpful with that. But first thing's first: she needed to wash that awful taste out of her mouth. She quickly opened her milk and drank it all in one gulp.

She suddenly paused; the carton had been opened…but…how…

Yolei paled. She looked down to see another piece of paper. _What now?_

xxxx

_Dear Yolei,_

_Hope you like laxatives. This one works REALLY fast!_

_The Prankster formerly known as Davis!_

xxxx

Yolei's face turned from green to white in seconds.

Then…

_Squuuiirrrk._

That was the sound of very icky bowel movements emanating from her gut.

For the second time in a span of three minutes, Yolei rushed to the restroom. The sounds of number two followed.

Outside, the sounds of Davis' laughter followed.

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:21 PM/

"I live to kill Davis, I live to kill Davis, I live to kill Davis…"

"Lighten up sis! His pranks couldn't have been THAT bad," consoled Momoe, although it was clear she was trying hard not to laugh at Yolei's misfortune.

Yolei shot her oldest sister a fierce glare. "DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AFTER THAT LAXATIVE? **FIVE TIMES!** THE TEACHER LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GOING TO BLOW A GASKET EVERY TIME I RAN OUT WITHOUT ASKING!"

"You're attracting attention," replied Jun; the three girls were calmly walking home together. Davis and Veemon had left the school immediately after three, thus ensuring safety from Yolei's wrath…at least for now.

Poromon poked his face out of Yolei's backpack. "Davis sure seemed to be having a good time when he got see Veemon during lunch!"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT POROMON!" roared Yolei.

_Squuuiirrrk._

Jun and Momoe blinked. Yolei growled as she clenched as hard as she could. "Pardon me; gotta make it home!" She immediately dashed as fast as she could to reach the Inoue Convenience Store.

She burst through the double doors, quickly shouting off a 'Hey' to her folks before reaching the back room.

She ran up the stairs to the apartment.

She dashed through the hallway.

She slammed into the bathroom door – which was partially open – all the while reaching for her pants' buckle.

_SPLASH!_

Yolei froze as a bucket of water splashed down onto her head; it had been propped onto the top of the doorway. She was so startled that she completely loosened up.

**SPLURK.**

Yolei furiously scowled as she accidentally soiled herself. Poromon gagged. "EEW! That smells Yolei!"

The Inoue girl didn't register her partner's words. She was too busy seething. So Davis wanted to play rough, did he? Fine then. _If he wants to be a prankster…then I'll prank him twice as hard!_

But first, she had to change.

Then she would throttle him.

And THEN she would prank him.

At this precise moment, Davis and Veemon – they had both been hiding in one of the snack aisles before Yolei come in – snuck out of the Inoue Convenience Store. Davis smiled. "Well, THAT felt good!"

Veemon scratched his head confusedly. "I still don't get the point Davish."

"Eh, you don't have to…up for a visit to Daichi's?"

"Yeah!"

xxxx

/Daichi's Room, Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, 3:30 PM/

Impmon grumbled as he fiddled with the blankets. "Feh. I'm gettin' bored of waiting for that bum to show up!"

It wasn't fair; after everything that had happened last week at school, he was expected to stay at home?

"Like heck I will! That joik can rot for leaving me here," muttered Impmon as he ventured outside Daichi's room for the first time that day. So what if he had been told not to? He didn't care.

After several minutes of looking around, Impmon found the kitchen; more specifically, the fridge. "Jackpot!"

The rookie rummaged through the fridge…and to his delight, he found several bottles of sake and beer. "Booyah! Booze! I'm in heaven!" He quickly stepped out the fridge, amber bottle in hand.

"What…the…a Digifreak? What're you doing in my house?

Impmon blinked as he tilted his head upward, staring straight into the angry visage of Daichi's dad.

You see, Daichi had neglected to mention a very important fact to Impmon; his dad didn't work on Saturday-Monday. Which meant he was home all day.

"WELL? **ANSWER!**"

Impmon was silent.

Then, he sweatdropped as he held the bottle of beer up to Mr. Etsuya. "Eh…truce?"

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 16: Fixing What's Broken

xxxx

Author's Notes: SATs are finally done! Hoozah!

What do you think of Davis' pranks:P

See you soon, and please review!


	16. Fixing What's Broken

Standard Disclaimer: Uh…I don't own Digimon, and uh…gotta go! (runs)

Lord of swords and waffles: Rar!

Cloud-821: Too far? He he…then you are going to be shocked as the Prank War continues on…

Anthony1: Dark side? Nah…just him being the rascal he is. :P

Dark Qiviut: Heh. I thought you'd like this chapter…

ficmaster: Using the Guardian God as a scare tactic? For shame. :P

Dot Cubed: HI-HO!

Trey Miller: Cool. Perfection!

And that's true; Bandai would've made a killing selling a DragonZord/T-Rex hybrid.

Chosen Child of Darkness: …you think I'd use a hallucinogenic drug instead of a laxative? That's a dub decision I WOULD support. Drugs like that have no place in a K+ rated story. And come on; would Davis really do that to Yolei? How would he even come to procure the drug? Seriously.

generic reviewer: Well, 4Kids HAS made some bad decisions…(points to the opening theme of One Piece) Rap…agh…X.X;

feral-halliwell: Already left hints. And welcome to Housemates!

Ninetalesuk: No problem. A job is coming up soon as well…

duskmon87: Just keepin' it real.

Assamite: Davis being immature is understandable (most of the pranks he used ARE immature). But raunchy? He's not that kind of guy.

Silver Warrior: I've actually found a web site that detailed these pranks…once the Prank War ends, I'll list the URL for all to see!

Yami Vizzini: Aye.

sjbaby: Welcome to Housemates! And thanks for the 'Revision' praise.

Digi fan: Indeed.

Angel of Fire: Welcome! And you are correct! (hands her a cookie)

saiyoto: Envy – it leads to bullies. :P

Bluesv20: Good times indeed. Why, back in my day… (rambles)

Malebolgia: Good question. I was wondering that myself (the College Years is still unfinished!).

Kmoney: Lying's not my thing.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 16: Fixing What's Broken

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, 3:41 PM/

Davis sighed out of pleasure. The day had been an absolute dream for him so far.

Boy, he had gotten Yolei back GOOD. Social embarrassment, frog guts, laxatives…the works! _Yeah…now maybe she'll get the hint and stop bugging me._

Oh, who was he kidding…Yolei was a vengeful beast. So he had to be on guard.

"Davish?"

Davis looked down at Veemon, who had a confused look on his face. "Yeah Veemon?"

"Any idea why they're looking at me funny?" asked Veemon as he pointed at the numerous people on the sidewalk.

Davis followed his partner's finger to see that almost everyone walking on the sidewalk with him. Their eyes were filled with resentment, and several heads were shaking out of dismay, as if saying 'unbelievable'. The Child of Miracles quietly seethed; such looks drove him crazy. "Veemon…they don't understand. They're the kind of people who'll hate you…even if you haven't done anything wrong."

"Oh. Okay!" replied Veemon with a smile. "I get it now. No biggie!"

_Veemon…_ Davis smiled. Despite his goofy disposition, the little Rookie was a lot more mature than most people gave him credit for. He didn't even think much about the looks now…and he was right. Their opinions of him weren't worth meriting. _Heh…for a little guy, he can be tougher than me sometimes._

"Davis."

Davis looked up to see Daichi walking toward him. His brown eyes lit up at the sight of the black-haired boy. "Daichi! We were heading for your house!"

"Ironic…I was heading for your place," remarked the Etsuya child. He glanced down at Veemon and waved. "Hello."

"Hi Daichi!" exclaimed the little blue Rookie.

Daichi glanced into Davis' eyes…but frowned at the confusion found within. "Something wrong?"

"Where's Impmon?" asked the Child of Miracles.

Daichi was silent…and then he sighed out of remorse. "Couldn't get a permission slip from my parents." His yellow eyes were narrowed slightly.

Davis understood. The look in the eye…the sudden tensing of the body frame. The guilty quality of his face… "…you couldn't get a permission slip, because they didn't let you…right?"

"Hmph." A bitter chuckle escaped Daichi's lips. "I only wish I were that brave. I couldn't even bring myself to ask…they don't even know Impmon exists."

Davis and Veemon were silent…and Daichi couldn't blame them. After all, he was nowhere near as brave as Davis was; he sure didn't have the guts to do what he had done…

"Well, then let's go ask!"

Daichi blanched; Davis and Veemon had already walked beyond him, heading in the direction of his house. "HEY! WAIT A MINUTE!" yelled Daichi as he took chase.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 3:50 PM/

Yolei Inoue had never been so embarrassed in her entire life.

The previous day had been wrought with complete social disasters (no student would forget the papers in her locker, and the teaching faculty CERTAINLY wouldn't forget her continuous leaving of the classroom) and an absolutely degrading experience (she ate the insides of a dead frog AND she had soiled herself!)…

Oh, Davis was going to rue the day he decided to prank her. She quickly pulled out a small booklet from under her bed; it was filled with the numbers of her non-Digidestined friends from school. She needed allies for tomorrow…

"Yes…I'll get him back…" Yolei laughed maniacally. Meanwhile, Poromon watched on with worry. _Oh man…Davis is going to be in SO much trouble when he gets home…_

xxxx

/Outside the Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, 4:01 PM/

_Tink._

"…"

_Tink._

"…"

_Tink._

"…think he's asleep?" asked Davis.

Daichi sweatdropped before replying, "Nope." He threw the small marble at his bedroom window again.

_Tink._

"You sure?" asked Veemon.

"He gets bored too easily to sleep," replied Daichi as he threw it again.

_Tink._

Davis frowned as a worrisome thought came to mind. "Do you think…your folks might have found him?"

Daichi shook his head. "Nah. Mom usually stays out until evening, and dad isn't home from work until…" A look of dread crossed his face as he suddenly remembered something. "…oh no…oh NO."

"Oh what? Oh what?" asked Davis and Veemon simultaneously.

"Today's Monday…" His yellow eyes widened out of fear and absolute horror. "Dad doesn't work today!"

A lightning bolt of shock ran through the two children and Veemon…there was the possibility that…Impmon had been found out!

Daichi immediately rushed around to the front door of the apartment building. His mind became a whirl of activity as his body ran on its own. Davis and Veemon were right behind him as he roared into the apartment building and towards the door that led to the Etsuya Apartment. Was Impmon okay? Why hadn't he answered? Had he been found out?

_No…_

Daichi was right in front of his door. What if his father had…

_NO…_

He reached for the door handle. Was Impmon…

_NO!_

xxx

/Living Room, Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, 4:04 PM/

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Daichi, Davis, and Veemon froze at the sight of Mr. Etsuya, holding a bottle of sake, laughing without a care. He had a muscular build, and he wore rather plain clothes. He had a head full of thick brown hair, but it was getting thin around the edges. His yellow eyes were filled with the mirth and abandonment that all drunkards shared. He was sitting on the couch…

And sitting in the chair opposite of the couch was Impmon, who was also holding a bottle of sake. Both of them appeared quite drunk. Impmon was slurring out, "Sho I shay to dish Gatomon dat her partner'sh notin' but a bunch'a garbage…"

"Uh huh," replied Mr. Etsuya, obviously fixated with Impmon's tale.

"And then she SHLUGSH me in the kisser!" exclaimed the purple Rookie.

Mr. Etsuya jovially laughed at the Rookie Digimon. "HAHAHAHA! Looks like ya got no luck with dames, eh?"

"When the dame'sh a witch, sure!" Impmon and Mr. Etsuya laughed together.

Davis blinked. "They're…"

"Laughing…" finished Veemon.

Daichi looked like he was about to smack himself. Why? So he could wake up from the dream he was obviously in. His father…warming up to a Digimon? It was unthinkable!

"Heh…" chuckled Mr. Etsuya as he glanced at his son. "I thought that Digimon were monsters…even though five of them restored this city, I still thought they had no place in our world…but to think my son had one for a friend…and such a witty one at that."

Impmon took a sip of sake before staring at Daichi with a lopsided grin. "Heh…and youshe shaid he'd toin me into minshemeat…he'sh more like a drinking buddy!"

"Amen!" finished Mr. Etsuya as he took a chug of the sake.

At this point, Daichi facefaulted. Davis grinned as he watched Impmon and Daichi's father drink together. "Looks like…you didn't have to worry so much…"

"Guess not," muttered Daichi as he got off the floor. Although…secretly he was glad. No matter how absurd it seemed…he was happy that his father – Seta Etsuya – had accepted Impmon.

Now there was the matter of his mother.

Unfortunately for Daichi, his mother was already there. He had left the door open when he had rushed into his apartment…and oddly enough, his mother had decided to come home early for a change.

Yumi Etsuya was a rather thin woman with neatly combed black hair. She wore very prim clothing – a blue, ankle-length dress with a white jacket, plus black dress shoes – and her figure was curvy in the right places. Her eyes were a turquoise-green, and her skin had a milky white tint.

And right now, she was furious. For one, her husband was already drunk at **4 O'CLOCK _PM_** …and now there were Digimon in her household! _Unbelievable…unbelievable!_ She quickly turned around and stormed out of the apartment.

However, Veemon had seen her. "…" While Davis wasn't looking, Veemon slipped out after her.

Meanwhile, Seta was smiling as he walked into the kitchen, putting away his open bottle of sake. "Heh…a nice guy…it's a shame my wife probably won't accept him."

"Feh. Like I care for shome broad'sh opinionsh!" exclaimed Impmon.

"It doesn't matter…she's out too much of the time to care anyway," muttered Seta as he closed the fridge door. It was all stupid really…it had been her fault that he had started drinking in the first place! She started going out on her own and out with her friends all the time…leaving him alone until late hours. What other recourse had he had BESIDES drinking?

Davis frowned at the sight of Daichi, whose expression had suddenly turned forlorn. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Actually, no; he could recognize the look in his father's eye. He was thinking about his mother…

_Feh. It's stupid…_

He only wished those two would resolve their stupid problems. It would make things a heck of a lot easier for him!

"Hey. Where's Veemon?" asked Davis, suddenly noticing his partner was gone.

xxxx

/Park, Odaiba, 4:16 PM/

Yumi Etsuya sat down on a park bench with a huff. "That Seta…drinking with a Digimon…and how could my son hide that thing?" Her turquoise eyes gazed at the green grass of the park…the walking passersby…the little blue Digimon sitting beside her on the bench…the birds flying through the air-

Wait.

"Hiya!" exclaimed Veemon.

"WA!" yelped Yumi as she leapt away from Veemon. "Get away!"

Veemon scratched his forehead out of confusion. "What? I only wanted to talk."

"I have NOTHING to say to you. To you or any other Digimon!"

"Come on! It's not like I'll bite!" innocently replied Veemon.

Yumi eyed the Rookie with suspicion. "Those who say that usually do."

"True. But I only wanted to talk about Daichi and Impmon!"

The black-haired woman snorted. "I have nothing to talk to you about. Go away."

Veemon looked hurt by the woman's words. "Aw, come on! What harm could talking with me do?"

_Doesn't he get the hint?_ Mrs. Etsuya turned away and began walking away.

"Going home?" asked Veemon.

The woman froze. She quickly decided to answer one question, just to get the little Digimon off her case. "No. Going to visit some of my friends and arrange a get-together at a restaurant."

"Why aren't you going home? I thought most people wanted to go home after working all day," said Veemon.

Yumi paused. "…I don't work. My husband works for a tech company…he's our source of income."

"…oh." Veemon suddenly looked bewildered beyond comprehension. "Okay, I'm confused…how come you don't stay home then?"

"I like to keep myself busy. I have lots of friends…so I don't really have time for home." It was strange how things worked; despite Yumi's earlier words, she now found herself talking with a Digimon.

Veemon clutched his head out of apparent pain. "Gah…now I'm REALLY confused. Davish told me husbands and wives like to spend time together. How come you don't?"

"Because Seta's not a person you want to spend time with." _At least…not anymore_. "He used to be so nice…but now he'd rather drink than do anything else." It was ridiculous…all she had done was start spending more time outside the home, with old friends. With old work buddies. What else was she supposed to do? After all, she had only done it because of his tendency to work overtime…and then after that, there was the drinking. Eventually, the overtime had come to an end…but the drinking had remained.

"Oh…okay." Veemon hopped off the bench and started walking towards Yumi. "How come you don't like Digimon?" He immediately caught himself. "Wait…do I even need to answer that?"

Mrs. Etsuya found herself smirking. "Indeed…it's no secret Digimon are hated throughout Tokyo…that's why I don't want my son hanging around that digital monster."

Veemon only smiled at Yumi Etsuya's words. "Well, Daichi sure seems to have been made happy by Impmon…and I know Davish wants me around because I help make him happy…"

"Preposterous," grumbled Yumi. "What could Daichi want from a digifreak?"

"All I know is this…Daichi sure would like to take Impmon with him to school. He needs his parents' permission!" With that said, Veemon happily ran off back toward the Etsuya Apartment.

Yumi Etsuya was oddly silent…all because of the little Digimon's words. _Why…why would Daichi need a Digimon…he has his folks…right?_

Oh, who was she kidding…she was wrong. Wrongy wrong wrong.

Her dispute with Seta…had it driven Daichi away…?

xxxx

/Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, 4:27 PM/

"There we go," muttered Seta as he signed the permission slip. "Now all that's left is your mother's signature."

Daichi took the permission slip and glanced at, smiling a small smile. "Good…" Davis glanced at the man's signature…then grimaced. _Man…awful handwriting._

"HELLO!"

"WAH!" yelped Davis and Daichi as they leapt into the air. They whirled around to see Veemon. Davis yelled, "WHERE THE HECK WERE YOU?"

_How come I'm making people jump in the air today?_ wondered Veemon before replying, "I was following your mom."

Silence.

Then, Impmon cheekily muttered, "Sho…was she a good looker?"

"Well…she does have eyes!" exclaimed Veemon.

Impmon, Daichi, Seta, and Davis facefaulted simultaneously.

"Seta. Daichi."

Everyone looked around toward the living room entrance to see Yumi Etsuya standing there.

Seta frowned. "Yumi."

Daichi muttered, "Mom."

Yumi glanced down at Davis Inoue and his partner, Veemon. "…if you don't mind…'Davish', right?"

Davis facefaulted. "It's Davis…Veemon just has a lisp."

Yumi sweatdropped. "…oh. Well…if you don't mind…please leave right now. We have things to discuss."

"…okay. Let's go Veemon." Davis knew that now wasn't the time to interfere; it was Etsuya time. Which meant strangers, friends, and all non-Etsuya people go out. But before he left, the Child of Miracles flashed Daichi a thumbs-up.

Daichi and Impmon were silent as Davis and Veemon left, leaving them to Mr. and Mrs. Etsuya. "…"

Yumi glanced at Seta.

Seta stared at Yumi.

Silence.

Impmon grumbled as his foot twitched. _Man, what's with all the silence? These punks are ruinin' my buzz!_

Finally, Yumi said, "I don't want to tiptoe around the issue, so I'll just tell you WHY I started staying out so late."

Seta nodded. "Fine…then I'll explain why I stared drinking. Ladies first."

"Hmph. Fine then…" She sighed once more. "Look…your working overtime…it was too much. For two months, you worked overtime nonstop. How's a housewife supposed to make a living when the husband is out most of the time?"

"I TOLD you about that," irritably interrupted Seta. "The company had to meet its deadline for the unveiling of a new line of microchips. Everyone was experiencing crunch time."

Yumi snorted. "Say whatever you want. That's why I made an effort to meet up with old friends. To get together with them. To find some way to occupy myself! And it worked."

"Too well," grumbled Daichi. "Once you got into it, you had a habit of not being home at all YOURSELF."

Seta finally said, "And that's why I started drinking…to erase the pain of not having my own wife here when I come home."

It was at this point that Seta, Yumi, AND Daichi figured it out…and they suddenly looked aghast.

Yumi muttered, "So you started drinking – and kept ON – because of…?"

Seta uttered, "And you kept going out because I kept…?"

"…you have **_got_** to be **_KIDDING ME!_**" roared Daichi as he angrily walked away from his folks. "I can't believe it…your whole dispute was all for **NOTHING?** I can't believe I have such _stupid_ parents!" He angrily walked towards the door to his room. "I've had enough. **_JUST KISS AND MAKE UP ALREADY!_**"

**SLAM!**

Seta and Yumi sweatdropped as their son slammed his bedroom door shut. Suddenly, Seta started chuckling. "Well…I always imagined that when we ever got back together…the conclusion wouldn't be quite so anticlimactic."

"True enough," said Yumi. It was strange how the human heart and the human mind worked…and it was strange how fickle they were in reactions. In some cases, anger directed at another human being would last forever, no matter what happened or what the target did to appease the accuser. In other cases, the anger would simply disappear, and the accuser would wonder why it had been there in the first place.

Thankfully, it was the latter in this case.

Seta handed his wife the permission slip. "You need to sign that."

Yumi quietly read the permission slip…and frowned. "…does Daichi really want this? I mean…I may not like Digimon, but I'm nothing compared to some of the radicals. He might be-"

"AHEM. Digimon right here," indignantly muttered Impmon. Joik. "Besides…thanks to the two twerps dat just left, my partner would be more miserable than he looks. So let me just tell youse guys dis…if youse don't let me go with him to school, youse'll be cruisin' for a bruisin', if youse get my meaning."

Yumi narrowed her eyes at the little imp. "Are you threatening me?"

"I just might, toots!" retorted Impmon.

Seta, meanwhile, just chuckled. "It's not like that Yumi…he's just can't think of a nicer way to phrase his words. He's too macho."

Impmon snorted.

Yumi quietly glanced down at the permission slip. _Should I…? If I do, I condemn Daichi to public ridicule…but if I don't…what will become of his joy?_

Concern for her son's safety…or concern for her son's happiness.

Which one would she choose?

Which one SHOULD she choose?

xxxx

/Outside Odaiba School, Odaiba, Tuesday, November 29th, 7:39 AM/

Davis sighed as he walked towards the school with Veemon by his side. To be truthful, he was kind of wondering when his partner would dedigivolve; his partner had never gone on this long without reverting to his In-Training form. Maybe he's just gotten used to his Rookie form.

"Look Davish!"

Davis looked ahead towards the front doors of the school…and to his complete and utter joy, he saw Daichi waving goodbye to Impmon. The little purple Rookie immediately took off for the soccer field. _Alright Daichi…_

Veemon smiled as he exclaimed, "Yay! Lemme go say hi!" The little blue Digimon took off after Impmon.

Davis grinned as he quietly walked toward the school. A marriage had been rectified, and Daichi's partner finally got to stick with his partner 24/7…

_Yes! What a great start! Nothing can slow me down today!_

Unbeknownst to Davis, he was stepping into the lion's den…

And the lion was named Yolei.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 17: Attack of the Pranks

xxxx

Author's Notes: Bleh. It only took me two days to right, but this chapter went through more revisions than any other. Originally, Daichi was supposed to have found out about the Crest of Miracles, and **_Futa Ishisamee_** of all Digimon would've made an appearance to help out! But I stuck with this one to help with the happy ending factor.

(smiles) But the pranks return in the next chapter!

See you soon, and please review!


	17. Attack of the Pranks

Standard Disclaimer: Toei…I don't own Digimon. Search your feelings, you know it to be true!

Author's Notes: Saw Revenge of the Sith. If you like action, space battles, duels, good music, and Star Wars, you have to see this movie. Even so, it was embarrassing to see politically motivated lines in a Star Wars movie. Even though the lines were few, they momentarily reminded me of reality, even though movies are supposed to help me escape reality.

Ah well (awaits the fall TV series).

In other news, my SAT scores have arrived! My total score is **_1990_**. I'm in the top five percent in the country! WOO!

And one more thing, concerning the late update: I've recently gotten an old Super Nintendo as well as a used copy of Super Metroid. PURE FUN. Since it's used, there's a few graphical glitches (screen's blacked out in the first fight with Ridley, but he always escapes, so it's no biggie; the screen flashes in the fight with the Torizo after getting the bombs…and the biggest glitch is in the fight against Draygon in Maridia. If it weren't for the easy method of beating him with the grapple beam, I would never have beaten him.). Even so…it's pure fun.

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: Nah. I sort of dropped out of Sonic fanfiction. Still, I've heard of NetRaptor.

Anthony1: Simple, yet effective.

Yamimaru: (blinks) My reviewer is carrying out a story within a review. X.X

Cloud-821: I'm sad to say that 4Kids HAS acquired the rights to Naruto.

…(snickers, then bursts) HAHA! I'm just joshing with you. Shopro/Viz acquired the rights…they've dubbed anime like Zatch Bell, Sonic X, and Inuyasha. Well, that's ShoPro anyhow…don't know much about Viz though. They've got a lot of good manga releases though (they're the ones behind Shonen Jump and the American translation of Naruto). Still, much better then 4Kids. Plus, Cartoon Network's trying to get a TV-PG slot on Toonami for Naruto. If not, then it'll be relegated to TV-Y7.

Kmoney: That point is touched on in this chapter!

Ninetalesuk: On to Star Wars for a moment…why not name Episode II 'Clone Wars' instead of 'Attack of the Clones'?

Trey Miller: Thanks.

feral-halliwell: Don't you mean 'Veemon and Daichi's mother'?

duskmon87: Darkheart's fate is unknown…for now.

Dot Cubed: You seem to get too attached to my characters. O.o;

ficmaster: Para! Graphs! P-A-R-A-G-R-A-P-H-S! Go TEAM!

BrokenAngel01: Welcome!

Chosen Child of Darkness: Oh really? Show me where Davis would be mean enough to use drugs. Show me. And besides, even if there is at least one druggie in every school, do you think I'm write about that side of reality in a K+ story?

Yami Vizzini: Um…EARTHQUAKE!

Digi fan: ACCEPTANCE!

Silver Warrior: Davis is so dead, his destiny is in heaven!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 17: Attack of the Pranks

xxxx

/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:45 AM/

Yolei grumbled as she walked through the hallway, her footsteps full of purpose. That, or she was just upset.

She had reason to be. None of her non-Digidestined friends had agreed to help her out. Why? Because after getting beaten up by Waya, he had their sympathy. Of course, she had also been able to tell that they admired Davis for his outburst in the hall last Saturday.

Yolei knew that was wonderful for them to admire Davis' courage for standing up for what he knew was true…but still! This derailed her revenge! _Darn it…I can't carry it out without someone helping me…_

Aside from the Digidestined, Ruka Haruko (remember the costume contest finalist who dressed as a European Queen) was her only friend within Mrs. Hakashi's homeroom class…and she had been of those asked to implement her pranks, since she couldn't do them herself. Ruka had denied.

Yolei grumbled; not only had she not been able to get any friends to implement her pranks, but she had yet to run into a non-Digidestined guy from Davis' homeroom class. _Darn it…darn it darn it darn it…without a guy, I can't use my locker room prank…_

_**Slam.**_

Yolei blinked as she saw a familiar black-haired boy shut his locker: Daichi Etsuya.

The Child of Caring suddenly grinned. _Yes! I can kill two birds with one stone! He can do the pranks I needed my friends to do…and he can do the locker room prank!_

As Daichi prepared to walk away, a hand suddenly clutched his shirt collar. "Hey…who the-" He tilted his head around, preparing to give whoever grabbed him a verbal thrashing.

His voice died in his throat at the sight of Yolei's penetrating glare. _Not good…_

Yolei growled, "You're the only known pickpocket I know of that Davis would go to for help." Daichi paled. _Shoot…she knows that I helped Davis with his pranks!_

"However…" Yolei's face suddenly lit up as she pulled a twenty dollar bill out of her pocket. "I'll give you 20 bucks if you agree to prank Davis for me…and if you fulfill them all, I'll give you 20 more bucks. This is coming from my own allowance…so I expect results!"

Daichi sweatdropped. "Huh…?"

"Look. Davis pranked me, so I'm going to get my revenge on him." As Yolei spoke, she glanced around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "None of my friends in Davis' class wanted to help out, and I needed to find a guy to bribe to help out with one prank. Since you're male, AND in Davis' class, you can do my pranks for me!"

Daichi Etsuya sweatdropped again. "…so you're bribing me to carry out your revenge, correct?"

Yolei nodded.

Daichi weighed the options in his head. On one hand, Davis would be subject to torture of hilarious consequences. On the other hand, he would have to deal with Yolei's terrifying glare again.

He quickly chose the former. Besides, in all honesty, Davis was going to get paid back anyway; at least this way, he would stay out of it. Plus, 40 bucks was 40 bucks.

Daichi sighed. "Fine…" He swiped the 20-dollar bill. "What do I do?"

Yolei grinned as she reached into her backpack and pulled out a sheet of paper, as well as a brown paper bag full of stuff. "Follow the instructions on the sheet of paper to the letter. I'll know whether or not if you succeeded by lunchtime. So long!"

Daichi sweatdropped as Yolei hopped off. _Yeesh…no wonder Davis is scared of her. Those eyes…eep._

He quietly glanced at the sheet of paper. There were five pranks listed on it. "Hmm…"

xxxx

/Homeroom, Odaiba School, 7:59 AM/

Davis quickly ran into the classroom. _Get to the seat get to the seat get to the seat…_

_**RRRRRRIIINNNNNGGG!**_

Davis sat down in his seat immediately. _Yes! Beat the bell!_

Mrs. Hakashi calmly walked into the room. "Hello class. Time for roll call."

As Mrs. Hakashi called out names, Davis sighed with relief. _Whoo…I shouldn't have been so cautious_. Then again, he had every reason to.

After walking past Yolei earlier in the hallway, he had suddenly remembered; she would undoubtedly be out for revenge. So he had walked slowly towards the classroom, making sure nothing out of the ordinary would leap out at him. Of course, this took him longer to get through the hallway…so when it became 7:58, he just decided 'to heck with it!' and booked it.

He was untouched.

"Davis Inoue."

"Here," replied Davis as he sighed. _Whew…I'm safe…_

Davis didn't catch Daichi looking at him momentarily.

So that was how class went. Mrs. Hakashi went into a small preview about trigonometry (the subject itself was beyond most of the people in the class), giving them all hints about what would come in the future. By the time she finished explaining the 'sine, cosine, and tanget', the bell rang.

_**RRRRRRIIINNNNNGGG!**_

_YES!_ Davis nearly leapt for joy at the sound of the bell. Trigonometry equaled boring in his book! He quickly stood…only to find himself yanked back down. _Huh?_

As everyone filed out of the classroom, Davis tried to get out of his chair. Finally, he looked down…and saw hardened white paste sticking him to the chair by the seat of his pants.

Someone had put glue on the seat.

Davis could only think of one culprit: Yolei. _Clever…can't figure out how she managed to get this one prepared. But if this is all she's got…weak!_

The Child of Miracles grunted as he ripped himself out of his seat. His pants were intact…but there was hardened glue stuck to it. He quietly sweatdropped. _Okay…no biggie._

He quietly picked at the chunks of petrified glue as he walked through the hall (drawing the odd eye or two). By the time he reached his next class, only a few chunks remained attached to his pants. _Okay…I'm good_. He grinned as he walked into the science lab. Davis grinned; Yolei had to do better than that if she wanted to prank him!

And all the while, Daichi watched silently as he walked in.

_**RRRRRRIIINNNNNGGG!**_

_Time for the second prank_, thought Daichi.

xxxx

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 10:04 AM/

"I'm really starting to worry," muttered Poromon as he hovered quietly in the air, flapping his wings quickly. "Yolei's really hyped up on this 'revenge' thing."

Veemon smiled as he stood on his head, trying to stay up as long as possible. "Ah, you worry too much! I bet this whole thing will blow over in a few days. I mean, how many pranks could Davish and Yolei come up with?"

Poromon shrugged. " Beats me."

**STOMP!**

"You should really watch what you say," quipped Impmon, who had jumped on top of the little In-Training.

Poromon snapped at the purple Rookie. "OFF!"

"What's up with you Impmon?" asked Veemon.

Impmon impishly grinned (shot for pun) as he spoke. "Heh…heard something about 'pranks'. Mind enlightening me?"

**_CHOOM!_**

It was at this moment that a massive cloud of smoke erupted from an open window. The three Digimon simultaneously yelped, "WHAT THE?"

That window led to the science lab.

xxxx

/One Minute Ago/

/Science Lab, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 10:05AM/

Once again, Davis had paired up with Daichi. Today, they were mixing chemicals in test tubes. For the purpose of the class, the windows had all been opened…and Davis and Daichi were at the table nearest the window.

What Davis didn't know was that Daichi, when going to get the chemical test tubes needed for the experiment, he had also gotten a tube filled with liquid potassium nitrate. What he had done next was pour an equal amount of sugar into the tube…as per Yolei's instructions. He had mixed it, with Davis unknowledgeable of the sugar added. For all the boy knew, Daichi was just mixing a chemical for the assignment. He had been too busy to look anyway; the Child of Miracles was busy trying to follow the teacher's instructions.

After Daichi had mixed the substance together…all he had needed was an open flame. He quietly pulled a match out – provided by Yolei's bag of materials – and lit it by striking it on the side of the table.

He quickly leaned over to Davis – keeping the match hidden from view – and asked, "Say Davis…I don't know if you know it or not…but I saw Yolei in here earlier before homeroom class began…just to let you know."

Davis frowned; so Yolei had apparently been here… "Thanks man." She must've sabotaged something. _Must be cautious…_

"Hold this please Davis," said Daichi, keeping the match hidden. He held out his potassium nitrate/sugar tube, which Davis calmly grabbed.

The Child of Miracles looked at the odd mixture. "What is this?"

Daichi shrugged. "Don't exactly know myself…" He suddenly frowned, staring at the door to the science lab. "Is that…her?"

Davis quickly glared at the door. "Yolei? Where?"

It was at this moment that Daichi – unseen by anyone – dumped the lit match into the tube. And when an open flame encounters an even mixture of potassium nitrate and sugar…

_**CHOOM!**_

A cloud of smoke erupted from the tube, pelting Davis in the face. Everyone shrieked (Daichi included, to put up an act of innocence) as they rushed out of the room, science teacher included. The smoke drifted out of the room through the window.

When it cleared, Davis blinked; his face was black with smoke.

He growled; the only person he could think of was Yolei. _That little…I'll get her for this!_ But then he grinned. _Heh…but this still is nothing compared to my pranks! You'll have to do better than that Yolei!_

He should really learn to know better.

xxxx

_/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:04 PM/_

Yolei mentally smiled as she watched Davis stomp towards her. _Looks like Daichi's gotten two of the pranks down…_

Davis grimaced as he placed his lunch bag down, glaring down at his older 'sister'. "Alright Yolei…fess up. I KNOW you did it."

"Why Davis, whatever are you talking about?" replied Yolei in an innocent, sing-song voice.

Davis growled as he pulled a bottle of Pepsi out of the bag, twisted the cap open, and angrily took a chug. "You know what I mean! The glue on the seat, and the smoke in the lab! I know you did it, so tell me how!"

Yolei smiled innocently. "Well…if you really must know, I didn't do anything."

"LIAR!" roared Davis. Thankfully, the others were eating lunch with their partners, so they were unable to partake in this little 'tirade'. He grumpily pulled out a plastic tray and opened it, revealing fried chicken tenders. To his dismay, they had gotten cold. _Darn it! I thought they'd stay warm enough to last past lunch!_ "Hold on…we'll continue this in a minute." With that said, Davis walked off to go to the school cafeteria, where there was a public microwave.

Moments after Davis entered the school, Daichi walked by the table and pulled out a bottle of ketchup Davis had brought along. Without pausing, he untwisted the cap and dumped a large amount of baking soda into it.

Yolei smiled as Daichi shook the bottle up and down, mixing the ketchup and the baking soda thoroughly together. "Thanks for helping out!" she said in a sweet voice.

Daichi cringed at the sound of that voice, remembering how scary she had been no more than a few hours ago. _Geez…CREEPY…she's like a pendulum swinging between sweet and scary sour…_ Shaking off the shivers, he calmly said, "You still owe me twenty bucks." Impmon's partner quietly walked towards his own spot in the mass of lunch tables.

Moments later, Davis returned, his chicken tenders steaming hot. He sat down and reached for the ketchup bottle, glaring at Yolei all the while. "Just you wait Yolei…I'll find out how you did all that earlier…" He twisted the cap open, muttering, "Just you wai-"

**SPLURT!**

The ketchup suddenly exploded as Davis pulled off the cap. After all, baking soda is prone to do such a thing to the red condiment.

Davis – his face red with ketchup – glared at Yolei, who suddenly – yet sweetly – said, "Did I forget to say 'watch out'? Ooops." She quickly made a break for it.

"**_RAR!"_** roared Davis as he took chase. Moments later, Daichi walked by and slipped a small capsule into Davis' bottle of Pepsi. It was a laxative: good for one hour. _Not as long lasting as the laxative Davis slipped Yolei in yesterday…but she has something else in mind…_

The glue on the seat was the first prank…the smoke 'bomb' was the second…and the exploding ketchup was the third. The fourth one was actually THREE-in-one. Without talking, Daichi quietly walked towards the nearest men's restroom. Because in a few short minutes, it would be Davis' first destination.

A few minutes later, Davis angrily sat down at the table, grabbing a napkin to remove the ketchup from his face. "Stupid Yolei…" Yolei had managed to slip away…by running into the girls' restroom. _No fair! She knows I can't go in there!_

Davis angrily ate at his chicken, feeling more upset by the moment. But as he ate – with drinks of his Pepsi in between – he felt more at ease. Good, warm food always had that effect on him. _Aah…that feels better_. Several minutes later, he threw away his lunch bag. _Now to think of revenge!_

_Squirk._

Davis recognized that sound. That horrible, awful, icky sound.

And it was emanating from him.

Without hesitation, he ran for the nearest restroom…just as Yolei had planned. As he entered, Davis' mind was in a furious whirl. _That copycat! She swiped that prank from me!_

He quickly unbuckled his pants and sat down on the seat.

_**SPLAT!**_

**_SPLAT!_**

That was the sound of two packets of ketchup bursting, having been put between the toilet and the knobs on the bottom of the toilet seat. Davis seethed as red paste slammed into and dribbled down the back of his legs. _That…little…how could she? How could she violate the men's bathroom? Has she no shame?_

For the next few minutes, Davis let nature run its course.

By the time there was a small break in the 'process', he reached for the toilet paper.

Davis blinked. _No…no…please no…she wouldn't…she COULDN'T…_

He looked over…and paled. The third part of the prank had been unveiled.

There was no toilet paper.

"_**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"**_

Meanwhile, on the other side of the brick wall separating the men's and the women's restrooms, Yolei was grinning. _Yes! One more to go!_

And the last one would be the most humiliating of all.

xxxx

/Gymnasium, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 1:34 PM/

Davis' eyebrow twitched as he stood on one side of the gymnasium, beside a bunch of other boys. On the other side were the rest of the boys in the current gym class. Running along the center of the large basketball court was a line of rubber balls.

Yes; today, the name of the game was dodgeball, followed by basketball. For the boys anyway; the girls were outside, doing aerobics and gymnastics.

And Davis intended to blow off some steam. He had almost missed half of the first period before someone went looking for him. When they had found Davis irritably sitting in the restroom nearest the outside lunch tables, the first order of business was getting toilet paper.

Davis grumbled as he stared at the rubber balls…and then he stared at the opposing team. He imagined that every single one of them was Yolei. _GRR…_

"And…start!" yelled the male P.E. teacher.

Davis was off like a bolt of lightning, outpacing everyone. Davis quickly swiped up FOUR balls, glaring at the opposing team of imaginary Yoleis. "**_RAAAAARGH!_** TAKE **THIS!**"

By the time Davis' fellow teammates had arrived, he had thrown all but seven of the twenty available balls. TK – a fellow teammate – of Davis' sweatdropped._ Yikes. What's gotten him upset?_

xxxx

/Boys' Locker Room, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 1:58 PM/

Davis sighed as he let the warm water of the shower wash over him. _Aah…that felt good_. He had needed to let go of some steam.

As Davis let the sweat wash off him in the public shower room, he made sure to keep his chest aimed directly at the wall in front of him; he couldn't risk letting others see the Crest of Miracles lodged in his sternum.

Davis slightly winced as he rubbed his arms; he still couldn't quite forget the pain that came with claiming the Crest of Miracles. Unlike the other Digidestined, he had never received a tag. The Crest of Miracles was in an entirely different league than that of the others, with greater powers…and as such, claiming it was an entirely different matter. The pain of having it lodged within his sternum, becoming one with him…it hadn't quite been that pleasant.

Even so, the light show that had come with it had been quite impressive.

Davis sighed as he grabbed his dirty gym clothes from the nearby clothes bin, using a shirt to cover his chest…and, consequently, the Crest of Miracles.

As Davis entered the main locker room, he took note of all the boys getting out of their gym clothes and back into their usual clothing. He quickly walked to locker 115 – his own designated locker – and pulled it open; the gym room lockers had no locks.

He quickly put on his shirt first. Next came the underwear…

As soon as he put it on…he felt something squishy. Not to mention some powder. _Huh?_

You see, while Davis had been taking a shower, Daichi had implemented the last of Yolei's pranks. It involved putting two substances into Davis' underwear (although Daichi personally detested doing it, he knew he would catch flak from Yolei if he didn't. And would he risk her wrath? Heck no!). The first was itching powder. The second was a kind of balm for pain relief called Icy-Hot: it worked by cooling the area it was applied to, then becoming very hot. Daichi had applied all that Yolei had given him into Davis; underwear.

In a matter of moments, the Icy-Hot went into affect.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"**_

Outside in the hall, Yolei – having left the girls' locker room further down the hall – smirked at the sound of Davis' scream. _Looks like I owe Daichi twenty bucks._

xxxx

/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:04 PM/

"Here you go."

Daichi was silent as Yolei handed him the rest of promised forty dollars. He sighed as he looked at the Child of Caring's happy grin. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Why shouldn't I? Davis started it," retorted Yolei.

"Well next time, get someone else to help out. I'm not going to do it anymore." With that said Daichi walked away, leaving Yolei behind. As he rounded the corner, he ran into Davis…who had obviously been eavesdropping, judging by the cold stare in his eyes. "Hello Davis."

Davis sighed regretfully. "Can't believe you, man…you sold me out for money!"

Without a word, Daichi handed Davis' the forty bucks. "I was going to give it you anyway. I guess you can call it compensation for all the pranks I put you through…although they were Yolei's ideas, technically."

"It makes sense how she got it all done though," remarked Davis. As much as he hated to admit…Yolei's laxative prank had one-upped his, considering the lack of toilet paper and the ketchup on the legs. And then there was the underwear thing… "I can't believe you put that stuff in my underwear! That's below the belt…literally!" And it still itched like crazy! The only thing keeping Davis from scratching himself was his pride…and his sheer willpower.

Daichi nervously scratched the back of his head. "Well, I will admit…I had trouble doing the last one. But dude…that girl creeps me out to no END!" He quietly glanced around the corner; to his relief, Yolei was gone. "Her mood swings from one spectrum to another so quickly it isn't even funny. And her glare…good grief, that's gonna be haunting me for awhile…well, hope the forty bucks makes up for the pranks. See ya." With that said, Daichi walked away.

As his friend walked away, Davis couldn't help but agree on some level. After all, Yolei had the propensity for being creepy AND vengeful. _Some Child of Caring SHE is_.

But there was one other thing that concerned Davis. Yolei had attained an ally for her pranks…

A small grin adorned his face. _So that's her angle…well if she's going to get help…then so will I!_

But first thing's first: he needed to go home and change his underwear.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 18: Bonding: Chizuru

xxxx

Author's Notes: Next chapter has Taekwondo…and more bonding!

See you soon, and please review!


	18. Bonding: Chizuru

Standard Disclaimer: I just founded a new organization called 'IDOD'. It's an acronym for 'I Don't Own Digimon!'

Author's Notes: Hooray for summer! I've got TONS of time to write! Oh, and s-CRY-ed rocks.

To the reviews (of which there are once more 200. WHOO!)!

feral-halliwell: Parental confusion!

Trey Miller: Ironic that it's called 'ABC Family' when they have a Whose Line host (Drew Carey) who makes porn jokes practically every show. :P

Digi fan: That he will.

Anthony1: Not telling.

Ninetalesuk: Try countering the Egyptian God with a Japanese God. They don't like each other.

Dot Cubed: I'm a first-degree black belt.

BrokenAngel01: Welcome!

Yamimaru: Knew about the first one, knew about the second, did not know (nor do I care) about the third one. :P

Yami Vizzini: And since he's in the city, that means no leaves.

Assamite: Perhaps. But it's harder to spot the politics in the original trilogy (if at all). That's my opinion though.

Inuyasha loves sake: Sake, eh?

Kmoney: It also gives the reader time to prepare for the hilarity.

Chosen Child of Darkness: This is the last time the laxative gag will appear.

sjbaby: It's called 'vengeance'…and Davis will get his own!

ficmaster: …you need help.

duskmon87: Burp.

Silver Warrior: ZIG-ZAGOON!

Bluesv20: Would you be saying that if Davis was doing the pranks? ;)

Angel of Fire: That's the Internet for you: gender-ambiguous!

Anyhow…

1) Darkheart WILL return. And if I mentioned his final form, don't you think it'd make sense for me to show it in some form? As to when…I won't say. :P

2) Not in this story…but in a future one.

3) Favorite Digidestined is Shaun Kamiya (because you kind of get attached to a character you spend a lot of time creating…although Davis, with his lovable attitude, is a close second), with favorite Digimon being Omnimon (do I need to say why? He's OMNIMON!).

4) Definitely Battle of the Angels (although it was sucky that I had to remove the music lyrics). The Digiknight Vs. BelialMyotismon battle was another fave of mine…and I must admit, I enjoyed writing the Mummymon/Pharaohmon battle.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 18: Bonding: Chizuru

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, 4:19 PM/

Davis walked along the sidewalk, a scowl etched onto his face. Why?

Come on! Do I have to remind you? He just got pranked! Badly! Read the last chapter to remember.

…you back?

Good.

Davis grumbled as he rubbed his head; after returning home to change his underwear – and quickly wash himself – he had left to try and find ideas to get revenge. He certainly wasn't going to take this lying down. No sir!

_Okay…so Yolei thinks she can acquire help, eh? Well she's got another thing coming!_ Davis grinned evilly; he would show her indeed…

He saw someone in the corner of his eye. Someone he recognized.

He looked to the left to see Chizuru Inoue – wearing black sweatpants and a white T-shirt – walking into a Taekwondo dojo on the other side of the street.

_Oh yeah…she takes karate!_ Davis winced as he remembered how Chizuru had flipped both him AND Yolei onto their backs during a heated argument. _I wonder what rank she is?_

Shrugging – thinking he had nothing better to do – Davis went further down the sidewalk, crossed a crosswalk, walked back, and entered the dojo.

xxxx

/Taekwondo Dojo, Odaiba, 4:31 PM/

Davis quietly took a seat in the spectator seats. The seats were part of the main lobby, and they were separated from the main dojo via a white wall with a see-through panel of plexiglass. The lobby floor was made of finely polished oak, and a former Taekwondo teacher sat behind the front desk, filing the paperwork for the dojo, going through registrations, and taking calls. A number of people sat in the wooden chairs placed in front of the plexiglass, Davis included. Finally, a door sat at the very end of the lobby, leading to the lockers.

However, his attention was on the area beyond the plexiglass.

The dojo itself was easily six times as large as the lobby – the lobby itself being 30' by 90' – so as to accommodate for its large amount of students. The black marble floor was covered by hardened blue foam, thus ensuring more comfortable falls. Two-dozen dummies stood on the front end of the dojo, where a number of green belts were practicing. Near the middle of the dojo were about twenty purple belts. All but five were sitting down, and the aforementioned five were practicing their form: _Hwa-Rang Hyung_. At the back of the dojo were ten black belts (all female), Chizuru among them. They sat in front of a mirror, which reflected the entire dojo. Finally, a door sat adjacent to the mirror; it led to the locker rooms – separated into male and female zones – where people entered the dojo.

_Dang…this place is big_. Davis counted the number of instructors in the room; a 5th-degree black belt – with three 3rd-degrees as his assistants – was speaking to the five 1st-degrees and the five 2nd-degrees sitting down. Three 4th-degrees were in charge of the purple belts, and two 2nd-degrees were in charge of the green belts.

Davis Inoue noticed Chizuru's belt had two gold notches on it. _Huh…she's pretty high up._ The two notches meant 2nd-degree status.

Finally, the 5th-degree instructor yelled out something. Davis couldn't quite tell what it was; the plexiglass panel blocked out most of the sound. The only way to actually hear what was going on in there was to actually be in the dojo.

Davis blinked as he watched the three 3rd-degree assistants put on red pads to protect their arms, shins, legs, and head. After putting a mouthpiece in, they all gathered in a circular formation about twenty feet away from the other black belts. Chizuru stood up next, walking into the center of the ten-foot circle. Unlike the assistants, she wore no pads. _Huh?_

"Ah…self-defense course."

Davis turned his head to see an elderly woman sitting a few seats away. "Pardon?"

The old woman gazed at Davis with narrow and dull, yet wise eyes. "Well…today is the weekly self-defense course for female black belts. I always come to watch…after all, SOMEONE has to teach today's young women to defend themselves, wouldn't you agree?"

"Sure, I guess," replied Davis. It was sort of a half-hearted answer; he was wondering what Chizuru was capable of. After all, she HAD given him and Yolei a beat-down (of sorts) before…

One of the assistants charged, left arm outstretched.

Chizuru calmly waited until he was within striking distance. She immediately grabbed the fist, twisted it around, grabbed the arm, and pinned it to his back. Without hesitation, she pushed the assistant into the second one. She quickly kicked backwards into the gut of the third assistant, who had been charging at her. Immediately afterwards, she brought her arms up in a defensive stance.

Davis blinked. "Man…what's with those assistants? Aren't they a higher rank than her?"

The elderly woman replied, "Well, those assistants aren't fighting like actual Taekwondo black belts. They're fighting as if they were street thugs…for the purposes of the lesson."

…_okay…I guess_. Davis just sat down and watched.

Next came an assault with actual pocketknives, much to Davis' horror. However, Chizuru was quite adept at evading the blades, using quick evasive maneuvers to avoid the lunges. After using disabling techniques on the assistants, Chizuru quickly – but lightly – struck their vitals. Not enough to send them down…but if it was real life, it would be enough to put a thug down for the count.

"Ah…I always enjoy watching that young girl practice," commented the elderly woman.

Davis curiously asked, "Why?"

"I'm not quite sure…perhaps it's her lack of emotions in battle. It enables her to fight quickly and effectively." A wry smile came to the woman's face. "I'd hate to be the guy standing against her in battle."

After an hour of watching Chizuru spar, practice her form – Choong-Jang Hyung – and watching her fellow students practice what she had just done, Davis noticed that the session had ended. He stood up as all of the students in the dojo walked into the locker rooms to change and leave.

Chizuru was the first one out, wearing her black sweatpants and white T-shirt. She raised one eyebrow at the sight of Davis. "Oh. Didn't know you were here."

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Odaiba, 5:35 PM/

"Nice moves there," commented Davis as he walked beside his older sister.

Chizuru calmly shrugged as she wiped some droplets of sweat off of her brow. "It's nothing really. I just go to keep my skills honed."

"So…how long you been doing karate?" asked Davis as both of them paused at an intersection, waiting for the light to turn green.

Chizuru sighed before answering, "About seven years now. Made it to second degree in three years."

_Man, that was quick_. "But if that's true, getting to third degree must be something tough, eh?"

The light changed.

As the two crossed the street, Chizuru replied, "Nope. I just haven't gone to the tests ever since I made it to second-degree."

"WHAT?" yelped Davis out of surprise. "But WHY? You kicked butt in that dojo! Why haven't you advanced further?"

"For one, there's an age limit to higher black belt ranks…but that's not the main reason." As Chizuru and Davis turned a corner, she said, "It's because I didn't really need to. I learned what I needed to learn, and now all I do is come to keep my skills sharp."

Davis frowned as he thought about it. Sure, it made sense…but come on! If you were still going, you might as well advance for the heck of it! "I still think you should try to advance."

At this, Chizuru smiled slightly. "Then YOU, my dear little brother, don't get it. I know how to defend myself. That's all I wanted to learn when I joined."

_Self-defense?_ It was then that it suddenly clicked. "…so…why'd you want to learn self-defense?"

A small smile came to the older girl's face. "Some bullies decided to speak with their fists. Soon after that, I made the decision to learn Taekwondo…so that I wouldn't be caught unprotected again." As she talked, she accidentally bumped shoulders with someone.

You know how fate sometimes send trouble your way just because you mention that specific kind of trouble in a casual conversation?

"HEY! You bumped into me!"

Say hello to the bullies!

Chizuru ran a hand through her blonde hair as she gazed at the person she had just bumped into. It was a high school student, judging by his gray uniform and his boyish appearance. His face was rough and angular, his eyes dark…but the defining factor was his blue mullet. Behind him stood several other guys wearing school uniforms, varying in appearance…but it was obvious the one with the blue mullet was in charge.

Blue Mullet roared, "HEY! Where's your apology?"

Chizuru's eyes hardened momentarily before she calmly replied, "Sorry about that. Wasn't looking. If you don't mind, I'll be on my way." With that said, Chizuru calmly walked around the large group, with Davis warily following her. As they walked away, Blue Mullet grumbled to himself. "That girl…where've I seen her before?"

When Davis and Chizuru were some distance away, he asked, "Chizuru! Who were those guys?"

"Don't know the goons, but I do know the guy with the blue mullet. His name's Matsuo Saito." As they neared the Inoue Convenience Store, Chizuru said, "He used to go to the school I went to…bit of a jerk."

"…he was the bully, wasn't he?"

Chizuru smiled; Davis could be quite intuitive. "He's their ringleader. Bullies have a tendency to get under my skin…"

Davis frowned…and it was all due to his confusion. After all, he WOULD'VE taken the opportunity to exact payback on a bully who had done him wrong.

So why hadn't Chizuru? "How come you didn't do anything?"

"Because he didn't try to attack," replied Chizuru.

Davis blinked. "…and?"

"Taekwondo is the art of self-defense. Unless they attack, I cannot take the offense. Simple as that." With that said, Chizuru walked into the store, leaving Davis behind.

_So she's unwilling to fight…because it goes against what she's been taught_. At this, Davis smiled. _Sounds stupid…but I like it_.

xxxx

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 7:07 PM/

Warehouse #7.

During the events leading to and during the Odaiba War, it was a safe haven for Gennai and the Digidestined's families. Without it, the body count would've included more than just Davis and Jun's parents, not to mention Cody's grandfather.

But alas, the war was over. Gennai had returned to the Digital World, taking all of his equipment with him. Warehouse #7 had once again become an abandoned warehouse.

Now…it had new owners.

Matsuo Saito snorted as he kicked away an old box. _Feh…who was that girl? I know I've seen her before…_

Saito had found the old dump after the Odaiba War. He had liked it so much, he had turned it into a hangout for his gang. Out of the way, mostly out of sight…it was perfect!

Now there was just the matter of figuring out who that girl was. _Hmm…_

Then he remembered. Several years ago, in 3rd grade; he and two former goons had roughed up a blonde-haired girl who had spilled juice on them (she had CLAIMED it was by accident. Like he was going to fall for that old excuse!). He and his two goons had been suspended…but it was worth it.

"Chizuru…Inoue…" Saito grinned; he finally remembered the little jerk's name. Perhaps another beat-down was in order… "Boys! File in!"

All of Saito's goons gathered in a large group around him. The total number of goons that belonged to his gang numbered 14. Enough to make Seiji Waya sweat, in any case.

Speaking of Seiji Waya…he was the newest member of the gang. After his suspension, he had been down on his luck. He had no more goons, and no more credibility with the other gangs in Tokyo.

But Saito knew of Seiji Waya's reputation. He knew he could scruff with the best of them…so he recruited the former gang leader as a goon. Sure, he knew the orange-haired bully didn't like it…but life wasn't fair to failures, now was it?

"What is it boss?" asked a black-haired teen who had more acne than skin.

Saito grinned as he ran a hand through his blue hair. "I ran into an old target earlier today…she said she was sorry for bumping into me…but who else saw that look in her eyes?"

The goons that had been with Saito grinned wickedly; they knew what was next. "Yes sir!"

"Then it's settled; we look up a phone book, find her address…and then plan an ambush!" His face suddenly softened, as if he were now a peaceful missionary. "But do be careful…we're NICE guys. Fists and feet only; nothing naughty."

The goons had a momentary chuckle at that; to hear their boss act noble was a hilarious act he would put on to emphasize what to do and what NOT to do. It was amusing…but then again, it made their boss unique.

Saito cleared his throat before loudly saying, "Our target is a girl named Chizuru Inoue!"

The name 'Inoue' caused Waya's face to tighten out of anger. _Inoue…_

"Waya. You look tense."

Seiji Waya glanced up into calm, dark eyes of his new boss. Matsuo Saito asked, "Have you met this girl before?"

"I did meet her sister…she's one of the kids who led to my downfall." Waya snarled as he rubbed a sore spot on his arm from the beat-down Yolei had given him and his goons. He didn't know who was more dangerous; the girl or her Digifreak! "Not only that, but she and a bunch of her friends have Digimon partners."

Saito arched an eyebrow out of surprise. The rest of the gang members made their disapproval noticeable via shouts and angry curses.

Now, unlike Waya, Saito had not been deprived of anything personal by the Digimon attack. Sure, his house had been destroyed…but it had been fixed. He hadn't lost any family members. He had lost none of his friends. And, perhaps most importantly to him…his subordinates were okay.

But speaking of his subordinates…they had all lost something. Parents. Friends. Pets. That alone made Saito angry against the Digimon…because they deprived HIS gang members of their happiness!

"Boys…change of plans." Saito calmly walked over to a crate he had brought over from their old hideout…and it held special cargo. "We're upgrading this mission into a Class A."

A whooping holler erupted from the goons…save for Waya, who just smiled wickedly. Although he was fairly knew, he knew what it meant.

Class A. **A**…for **A**rson.

Saito popped the lid off the crate, revealing green Vodka bottles that had been filled with petrol, rags, and lighters. "Make yourselves a Molotov cocktail boys…we're about to give the firemen something to do."

As a raucous bout of laughter erupted from the gang, a narrow pair of dark eyes watched them from a window. "Hmm…"

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, 10:06 PM/

"Mantarou…"

"What is it bro?"

Davis sighed as he fiddled with the Veemon's floppy ears, who was sleeping right beside him. "Why is Chizuru so…emotionless?"

"What brings this up?"

Davis sighed. "Well…earlier today, I met her on the way out of Taekwondo practice…and on our way home, we encountered an old bully that beat her up once."

"…and?"

"She didn't do anything! Not so much as one punch! She said 'sorry for bumping into you', and then walked away!" Davis groaned irritably. "It just bugs me…she had every right to get some payback, but she didn't do anything…she didn't even get angry or anything!"

Mantarou poked his head over the side of the bed, looking down at Davis with a calm smile. "Chizuru's sort of the odd duck of our family when it comes to emotions…"

"What do you mean?" asked Davis.

"Well…I think she didn't get angry because those guys weren't WORTH it."

Davis blinked out of momentary confusion…and then it registered. "I see…heh. A well-conceived insult…"

"More than that," countered Mantarou. "The only time I've seen Chizuru get emotional in the last several years is when family is involved…because we're the only ones that matter to her that much. Get it now?"

The thought was actually quite touching. An emotionless shell…one that can't be penetrated…save by the family. "…heh. Yeah…"

xxxx

/Street, Outside Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, Wednesday, November 30th, 1:09 AM/

Matsuo Saito, Seiji Waya, and the other thirteen goons smiled as they held their Molotov cocktails in one hand, with the lighter in the other. It would be a tremendous blaze that would all but put the Inoues out of business.

"Waya…will you do the honors?" Saito stepped out of Waya's way, a satisfied grin on his face.

Seiji Waya smirked as he stepped towards the store, bottle gripped tightly in one hand. "Of course I don't mind…" A sadistic grin crossed his face as he popped open the lighter, clicking it repeatedly. The girl…those Digifreaks…they ruined me…so I'll ruin THEM!

The lighter lit up with a tiny orange flame. Waya lit the rag that now lay in the Vodka bottle…and threw it as hard as he could.

The flaming bottle of Vodka went sailing towards the window. The moment it crashed, it would ignite in a wave of flame that would destroy anything it touched.

So imagine Waya's disappointment when a golden blur grabbed the bottle and took the fiery rag out. The other goons gaped as he stepped on the rag, dousing the fire. Saito frowned as he then let the petrol-filled bottle drop to the ground, shattering harmlessly into pieces. The ringleader demanded, "Who are you?"

The figure stepped forward into the light of a lamppost. The goons gaped, Waya froze, and Saito snarled.

The being was an otherworldly figure, standing with a solid, muscular 8'6" frame. It easily towered over all of them. Golden armor covered the head, the body, the arms, and the legs, and where it did not cover, dark gray skin could be seen. The feet had only two toes, and the hands had only four fingers. By far, the most alien feature was the jaw, splt into four teeth-lined mandibles that, when opened, formed an 'X' shape. Its dark eyes glared at them quietly…and the slash mark on its golden helmet gave it a distinguished, warrior's aura.

Finally, the creature spoke in a deep, intimidating voice that was obviously masculine. "The son of my partner is a friend to those who live here…mind telling me why you were about to burn it to the ground?"

A blonde goon yelled, "W-Who are you?"

"I am Futa Ishisamee, a proud Elitemon warrior…and I suggest you flee."

The black-haired kid with the acne wailed, "NEVER! NOT TO A DIGIFREAK!" He popped open his lighter-

_CHOOM!_

Just in time to see a turquoise-colored blade of energy pop into existence out of a small metal rod Futa held in his right hand. The goon (who shall henceforth be known as Acne. The author has spoken!) – to his embarrassment – wet himself at the sight of the blade and Futa's dark eyes. "Uh…"

Futa leered into Acne's eyes with a killing intent that would've sent most sensible warriors into retreat. Acne was too gripped by fear. "I suggest you drop the lighter, lest I accidentally slip and shave your face."

"AGGGH!" yelped Acne as he dropped his inert lighter and petrol bottle onto the ground, running like the dickens. The other goons paled at the sight of Futa's blade. The Elitemon growled, "Anyone else want to test me?"

The goons all ran…save for Waya. Only he and Saito were left.

Futa calmly flexed his neck, saying, "Please don't tell me you wish to fight me…I thought you were more sensible."

Waya scowled. "Why should I be afraid of a Digifreak like YOU? I'm gonna-"

"Calm down Waya," interrupted Saito, who dropped his lighter and his Vodka bottle. As he pulled out a small slip of paper, he commented, "Getting yourself killed now won't prove anything…Futa Ishisamee, you said?" The golden Elitemon nodded. "Then if you don't mind…give this paper to Chizuru Inoue. Waya, we're off." He threw the paper at Futa before taking off with Waya.

Futa snorted as he held the paper in one hand, deactivating his plasma sword. "Scum." He glanced up at the second story of the apartment complex…and to his surprise, he saw someone staring at him.

He quickly jumped high into the air, grabbing onto the windowsill. The person staring at him was a girl, who quietly opened the window. The Elitemon asked, "Is there a Chizuru Inoue in this house?"

"I'm her," calmly replied Chizuru, standing in a white nightgown. She calmly grabbed the piece of paper, saying, "I saw what happened."

Futa nodded, taking note of the flash of anger in her eyes. "Know this though…if you wish to exact vengeance, then you'll tread a bloody path." With that said, Futa dropped back to the ground, running off into the nearest alley…keeping a watch over the city he now called his home.

Chizuru calmly closed the window, clutching the paper angrily…and she calmly muttered to herself. "I don't care if it's bloody…" She walked to the bathroom to read in the light.

She could not believe how low those thugs had sunk…willing to destroy her family's only source of income just to pay her back. Scum…no. LOWER than scum.

_They WILL pay._

The legendary female ire of the Inoues had finally risen in Chizuru.

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 6:54 AM/

Davis groaned as he stepped out of bed, quickly scrambling to the bathroom. _Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go…_

He stepped into the bathroom and flipped on the light. He quickly flipped the toilet lid up and let a sigh of relief escape as he did his business.

"Ah…" He took a casual glance around the bathroom, just for the heck of it. Imagine his surprise to see a crumpled piece of paper sitting on the counter tile. "Huh." Out of curiosity, he used one hand to smoothen it out and hold it.

Upon reading it, he gaped. _Oh no…_

After finishing his business, he snuck a peek into Jun, Momoe, and Chizuru's room…and to his horror, Chizuru wasn't there.

He quickly scampered back into his room, shaking Veemon. "Veemon, wake up. We've got a problem!"

xxxx

/Outside Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 6:59 AM/

Saito glanced up as he watched Waya and seven other goons walk towards him. "I trust you got enough sleep?"

Waya nodded. "It's a shame I couldn't be homeless…I'd rather live here." Seeing as how some of the goons were left parentless – and unwilling to become foster children or going to an orphanage – they opted to live at the gang's hideout. Six of them lived in Warehouse #7.

Matsuo Saito shrugged as he commented, "Oh well…we can't all get what we want." He then walked towards the warehouse's door, saying, "Let's go inside…I wonder if she'll arrive on time."

Saito, Waya, and the seven goons walked inside. The ringleader flipped on the lights…and he gasped out of surprise.

Six goons – Acne among them – moaned out of pain, laying on the cold hard floor of the warehouse. They were bruised and rendered immobile or unconscious by blows to vital spots.

Sitting on top of crate was Chizuru…wearing her _dobok_: the Taekwondo uniform. She also wore her black belt…and her eyes were filled with obvious rage.

Saito glared Chizuru. "You came early."

"The letter said to be at Warehouse #7 by 7:00 AM. I HAD to come early…it was these guys' misfortune to be here when I came." Chizuru stood up, glaring at the nine thugs. "If you had thrown those bottles into the store…the flames would've engulfed more than just the store…you incompetent idiots."

Waya chuckled at the sound of Chizuru's anger. "Heh…you angry? Well you SHOULD!" He the orange-haired goon charged at the black belt, fist outstretched. "EAT THIS!"

Chizuru quickly knelt down and thrust her palm into Waya's abdomen. Without even pausing to hear his breath escape his lungs, Chizuru flipped him over and dropped him onto the hard floor. Waya's groan of pain was filled with agony and anguish.

Saito frowned. His seven goons paled at the sight of Chizuru's ruthless strike. The female Inoue calmly readjusted her glasses…and then glared at the thugs with a rage she had never dare feel before. "**_RAAAAAAAAAH!_**"

She charged.

Chizuru slammed her elbow into the face of the first goon, sending him falling to the ground unconscious. Saito roared, "SWARM HER!"

Two of the goons rushed around to get Chizuru from behind, whilst the other four charged straight at her.

What followed next was a flurry of moves that lasted ten seconds.

Chizuru immediately swept her legs forward, tripping the four in the front. She swept her left leg into the air, performing a roundmoon crescent into the chins of the two rear goons. The blows were successful, and she followed them up with palm thrusts into the chest, causing the air to rush out of their lungs. They fell to the floor out of pain.

Chizuru turned around to face the four goons that had now gotten up. Without pause, without qualm, without mercy, she charged at them.

A punch to the gut, a kick to the back of the knee, and a karate chop to the back of the neck knocked out one goon. She quickly ducked under one punch and flipped the second goon over, slamming into the ground. The black belt held on tightly to the second goon's fist while she delivered a swift sidekick into the belly of the third goon. Finally, she elbowed the second goon in the gut, causing him to clench up out of pain.

Only the third and the fourth goons were left. Chizuru quickly dealt with the fourth one with a swift kick to the head, sending him into the wall with a smack.

The third one – who had been sent backwards by the sidekick – stumbled forward, dazed by the hit.

Chizuru effectively ended the bout with a front kick to the gonads. The goon squeaked as he fell to the floor, voice now higher in pitch than a whistle.

Ten seconds.

Chizuru turned around-

SLAM!

She grimaced as Saito blindsided her with a punch to the face, sending her glasses clattering into the ground. Thankfully, they weren't broken.

Not that it mattered to Chizuru now, who was too fueled by anger to notice. She quickly charged back at Saito, delivering a high kick to the chin that sent the ringleader backwards.

"Hurk," stuttered Saito as he brought a hand to his chin…and then the back of his head was clutched by Chizuru's hand. The next thing he saw was the wall.

_SLAM!_

"AGH!" Saito gagged as blood poured out of his nose; vertigo gripped him as he was tripped by a sweep kick from Chizuru.

**BAM!**

"Urg…" moaned Saito as Chizuru put a foot upon his head. The black belt snorted. "Is that all? Don't tell me your pathetic, hate-filled existence stretches THIS short…after all, you hated me so much that you were willing to TORCH MY HOME!"

Saito spat out some blood onto Chizuru's foot. "Only…because my goons were wronged by Digimon…otherwise, the only to suffer would've been you…"

"Groveling? Shifting the blame? Doesn't matter now…you're nothing but a stain." Chizuru raised her foot. "You tried to kill my family…so I'm going to try to kill you…but I'll stop short. You're going to be in pain for a LONG…LONG…TIME."

**_CRASH!_**

Chizuru tilted her head upwards to see a blue dragon with white wings fall down, landing with a thud on the hard floor. It was XVmon.

And leaping off his back was Davis, wearing nightclothes. "HOLD IT!"

_SLAM!_

Chizuru, shocked by Davis' sudden appearance, couldn't think in time to block his punch to her face. The black belt groaned as she was sent crashing into the floor, astonished by the Child of Miracles' sudden blow. "Davis…wha?"

"Davis found your note in the bathroom," said XVmon as he looked at the unconscious goons. "Eesh…you really did a number on em'!"

"Why not? They tried to incinerate the store…it would've KILLED US!" Chizuru snarled as she stood, glaring at Davis. "They challenged me…I had to teach them a lesson."

Davis scoffed. "…you told me that Taekwondo is the art of self-defense. How come you decided to attack on your own?"

"It was a challenge…and I had to DO something to repay them for their attack on our home!" roared Chizuru.

"The attack failed. We're fine. So what if they're low-life thugs? You're violating your teachings…are you really saying you don't care about that?" It was odd…for all the times Davis seemed like an idiot in the eyes of many, he could prove to be awfully insightful. After all, he WAS the leader of the New Digidestined.

As odd as Chizuru found it, she didn't have a reply. Her ironclad resolve was already weakening. "…"

Davis sighed, staring at Chizuru with melancholy eyes. "You told me yesterday…that you learned Taekwondo so you could defend yourself." Those brown eyes hardened into a glare. "Well, **_SISTER_**…I didn't know you also took it…so you could become a low-life thug like these punks."

That statement was the clincher. Chizuru stared around the warehouse, gazing lifelessly at the bodies of the beaten thugs. A lone tear escaped her eye; a sign that what she had done had finally kicked in. A sob only got as far as her throat before she bitterly smiled. "Hmph…I told you…that bullies tend to get under my skin…"

Davis smiled, satisfied by the answer. He then turned to Saito, who just glared at them quietly. "Don't even try to attack us again in the future…or else I won't come to your rescue."

"Heh. Hypocrite…" Saito smirked as he rubbed his bloody nose. "I can see it in your eyes…you hate us…I bet you'd LOVE to let her finish me off…or better yet, to do it yourself."

Davis shrugged. "Of course…but I wouldn't anyway."

This answer seemed to surprise Saito. "Why?"

"Because Davis is a nice guy!" exclaimed XVmon. "He's not like you punks!" At this, Saito was silent.

Davis calmly walked towards his partner, talking as he did. "You've been given a second chance…don't waste it." XVmon grabbed Davis in one hand, and Chizuru in the other. "XVmon…let's go home. We've gotta get ready for school!"

"You betcha Davis!" XVmon flapped his wings, ascending through the hole in the warehouse roof. In moments, the Champion and the two Inoues were gone.

Saito glanced around at his unconscious subordinates…and sighed ruefully, thinking of the odd boy he had just met. _Davis…Inoue…_

In the sky above Odaiba, Chizuru calmly glanced at Davis, squinting to avoid the light of the morning sun. "Hey...thanks for saving me bro."

Davis raised an eyebrow. "Saved you? Huh?"

"You saved me from me. That's all I need to say." Chizuru, having said that, resigned herself to waiting until the flight ended.

As a result, she didn't see Davis smile.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 19: Revenge of the Prankster

xxxx

Author's Notes: GAH. Sorry for the wait. It took me FOREVER to get past the dojo scene. By the time Saito was introduced, I finished the rest in one day. Stupid writer's block. X.x

Just for the record, Matsuo Saito WILL appear again…but he won't be the same as former bully-turned-nice guy Daichi. Two similar guys so quickly is a boring approach. ;)

Next chapter…the pranks return! And board games!

See you soon, and please review!


	19. Revenge of the Prankster

Standard Disclaimer: Getting REALLY tired of saying this at the beginning of each chapter…oh well. I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: The pranks continue! And for those who don't know, I'm going on a family reunion at the end of June…so if I update late, don't worry.

Oh, and interesting news; if anyone goes to the Digimon Encyclopedia (Google it; it's the second item from the top), you'll find out that movies 4-7 are being dubbed! You know what that means...'Diaboromon Strikes Back' will be here soon! HUZZAH FOR PALADIN MODE!

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: (remains calm as DQ launches into a tirade) …huh. Was wondering why you didn't review chapter 17. You really missed some good pranks though! And BTW…why exactly DO you hate Yolei so much? And Kari for that matter. (FYI, you DO know that the movie line where she basically said 'I went to New York with TK to make Davis jealous' wasn't in there originally? It was added when it was dubbed.).

Yamimaru: I don't know.

Ninetalesuk: (kicks Labramon) That should solve the problem.

Ficmaster: YAY! I'M GRUDGELESS!

Wolfkun: True that. And welcome!

Cloud-821: No. FFNet simply said 'We have never allowed it!' Then how come I never heard of it till now? Bah…

Assamite: That's the thing with writer's block; no matter what eventually comes out, it still feels awkward. Oh well…it was the best I could come up with. Some people liked it, thankfully.

Angel of Fire: That's the thing; I knew Shaun would be disliked early on because of how well he handled everything…just like a typical God-modding OC. Good thing he wasn't one.

Silver Warrior: Glad you liked it.

Dot Cubed: I got no tips on advancing. And FYI…PREPARE FOR COMPETITION!

Bluesv20: A lot of people like Darkheart. O.o

Shadic the Hedgehog Author: Thanks for the offer, but sorry; I've already planned very far ahead. I've no intention of accepting fan characters. You're welcome to use mine though. Darkheart and UmbraDevimon seem to be favorites thus far. ;)

Chosen Child of Darkness: JOHN WILLIAMS!

Kmoney: Fear Trigon, father of Raven (is an avid Titans fan)!

Yami Vizzini: Even if Sidious' self-inflicted punishment was intentional so as to get Anakin on his side…shouldn't they have plastic surgery there?

Digi fan: Indeed.

feral-halliwell: FIGHTING!

duskmon87: Too much blinking! X.X

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 19: Revenge of the Prankster

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:09 PM/

"YOU'RE KIDDING!"

"Nope," muttered Davis as he bit into his slice of pizza. He had just finished retelling the tale of the morning's earlier events. Most of the information preceding the events at Warehouse #7 had been given to him by Chizuru.

Saito and his goons nearly burning the Inoue Apartment, only to be stopped by Futa.

The letter of challenge to Chizuru.

The beat-down at Warehouse #7.

Yolei snarled at the thought of how their home had nearly been burned down. "Those PUNKS! Shouldn't they be charged with attempted arson?"

"Chizuru and Futa were the only ones who witnessed the act," muttered Cody. "And I doubt they'll accept the word of a Digimon…besides, it appears Chiuzuru already dealt out punishment to the guilty party."

TK blinked as he looked over at Cody. "Wow…I would've thought you'd be calling for their flogging or something." After all, given Cody's strict upbringing, one would think he would be the first to call for justice served.

Cody Hida quietly sipped his orange juice before replying, "Of course I would like to see those vandals punished for their actions…but the fact remains that they'll all probably back each other up. As much as I hate to say it…the law would be behind them and not us."

The thought made Daichi clench his teeth. "Pfft…well that's a load of bunk. I wouldn't mind stickin' it to Waya, personally."

Oh, did I forget to mention that Daichi now sat with the five New Digidestined at the table now? Guess not.

"You said it Daichi," agreed Davis.

"It's not fair though." Kari sighed as she ran a head through her hair. "After all, they were going to burn the apartment down! That's not just the Inoue Apartment, but Cody's as well, and others!"

Cody grimaced before replying, "It's unfortunate…but the best we can hope for is the fact that they didn't carry out their despicable actions. They'll get their dues one day."

With that said, the children pretty much dropped the subject.

Fortunately for Davis, this allowed him to contemplate the next step of his plan. He would have to wait…but by tomorrow morning, everything would be in place.

Yolei would get some payback indeed…MAJOR payback…

And instead of doing it all throughout the day…he would strike with everything at once. Hopefully, it would be a knockout blow from which Yolei would never recover. _Maybe she'll finally get the idea to stop messing with me!_

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:49 PM/

Something was wrong.

Very, very wrong.

Yolei could feel it in her bones. She just knew…somehow…that Davis was preparing to strike back.

After all, there's no way he'd take the devastating beat-down she'd given him without getting a word in edgewise. Or a prank, thought Yolei sarcastically.

It was sort of second nature to her; being the youngest child of the Inoue family (before now), she knew how sibling rivalries worked. She had been in one with Mantarou, Momoe…and maybe with Chizuru at one point or another. That's why she knew Davis was going to get his revenge.

"Oh…" groaned the Child of Caring. In a way, it was very ironic that she had received the Crest of Caring…at first glance that is. Despite her short temper and rivalry with Davis, she cared for the Child of Miracles…as did she care for her partner, her family, and the rest of the Digidestined.

But hey! She just couldn't have let Davis get away with what he did! Justice had to be dealt!

"You okay Yolei?"

Yolei smiled as she glanced down at Poromon. "Of course I am silly. Just thinking about something."

Poromon grunted as he snuggled into the blanket. "Well try to keep it down…I'm sleepy…"

"Yes…sleep's good." Yolei smiled as she laid down in her bed. In moments, she was asleep, dreaming of great adventures in the Digital World, relaxation, and a boy named Ken.

Around midnight…

_Creak…_

Davis Inoue chuckled as he snuck into Yolei's room, flashlight in hand. In his other hand was a bowl…and other things were hidden in his pockets. _Okay…now to get to work!_

He would have to be quiet though.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Thursday, December 1st, 7:01 AM/

"Ah…what a wonderful sleep." Yolei immediately sat up and swung her legs over-

SPLOOSH!

Yolei blinked; that was the sound of water splashing. She glanced over the side of her bed to see a small white bowl lying down on the floor, surrounding by a large water stain. _Huh?_

She immediately glanced at her right hand: it was wet. _…no…he WOULDN'T._

She immediately pulled away the covers. _Davis wouldn't DARE…_

He would dare. Her panties were stained with a yellow stain.

**"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSS!"**

At this, Davis – who was in the kitchen eating some toast – smiled. He was already ready for school. All he had to do now…well, it would certainly prove embarrassing at school. He stood and immediately walked towards the bathroom.

Yolei quickly stormed out of her room, batch of fresh clothes in hand. Part of her was honestly surprised that the 'hand in warm water' prank actually worked…but even so, it was still humiliating! She had to shower…then change…and then PUMMEL THE STUFFING OUT OF DAVIS! _Just you wait Davis…I WON'T TOLERATE THIS!_

FLASH!

Yolei grimaced as a flash of light blinded her. She looked ahead to see Davis running away, insta-camera in hand. In his other hand was a photograph of the shot he had just taken.

…_huh?_ It suddenly dawned on Yolei that something ELSE was wrong. Instead of chasing after Davis, she entered the bathroom.

An envelope was sitting on the counter, marked **'Yolei'**. She quickly opened and read the note inside.

xxxx

_Dear Yolei,_

_REVENGE! MWAHAHAHAHA!_

_Davis the Prankster_

_P.S. Make sure to wear a hat._

_P.S.S. I'm off to the photo shop!_

xxxx

Yolei blinked. _Hat?_

There were two other things inside the envelope as well. A pair of scissors…and a black Sharpie marker.

The sight of those two items made Yolei's blood run cold. _Oh no…oh NO!_ She glanced in the mirror…and paled so much that she was whiter than bleach.

Her hair had been BUTCHERED. Most of it had been cut off…all that was left was a thin layer of lavender hair, with each spot of a varying length (anywhere between two centimeters and two inches).

Also, her face was marked with black drawings. Three cat-like whiskers on each cheek. A stereotypical curly mustache and pointy beard of a villain. Horns drawn above the eyebrows. And on her upper lip was the message: 'The Digimon Emperor was here!'

Silence. Yolei's eyebrow twitched.

Then, the mother of all eruptions occurred.

**_"DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"_**

And somehow, Poromon slept through all of it.

As Yolei disrobed, another disquieting thought occurred to her. The final part of the message…it mentioned a photo shop…

…_oh no…HE HAS A DEATH WISH!_

She had no time to waste. She quickly leapt into the shower.

xxxx

/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:42 AM/

Too late.

By the time Yolei got to the school, the damage had been done.

She could feel the snickers all around, as well as the staring. She had no doubt now; Davis had gone to the photo shop to make copies of the instant photo he had taken of her haggard face…and upon his arrival at the school, he had distributed his copies through out the middle school lockers (oh how she detested the tiny slits in the lockers! Curse them!).

Thankfully, she had managed to get all of the marker drawings off her face. In order to cover up her head though, she wore a purple bandana that hid the hack-job from view. Even so, she would occasionally see a student staring at an incriminating photo…and all it did was incense her even more.

_That Davis…_

And it stunk because on school grounds, she couldn't raise a finger to exact vengeance on Davis. _But just you wait Davis…JUST YOU WAIT!_

Until then, she would have to endure the laughter, the stares, and the utter destruction of her social status.

And in Mrs. Hakashi's class, Davis smiled at the thought of it all.

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:07 PM/

Wait…we're not focusing on the Digidestined. We're focusing on a DIFFERENT lunch table first!

This table is where Jun and Momoe Inoue sat, eating at their lunches with content.

That is, until Jun pulled out a small photo from a vest pocket. "Say Mome's…have you seen this?"

Momoe looked at the photo…and blinked. "What the…is that Yolei?" After realizing that it WAS her little sister, she had a good long laugh. "Oh my…when'd you find this?"

"I was just walking through the hall, and I happened to see it sitting on top of a trash bin…and as I was looking around, I saw a lot of other kids looking at the same photo. Naturally, I went to see Yolei at HER table and asked her about it…all she did was angrily mutter 'Davis' before returning to her meal." Jun munched into her salad.

Momoe frowned as she cupped a hand around her chin. "Hmm…so you think Davis is the culprit?"

Jun nodded. "Probably…but why?"

"Well…we shall ask them back at home eh? Maybe their sibling rivalry has gone a bit too far…" Momoe calmly ate her PB&J sandwich.

Now…to the usual lunch table!

Yolei scowled as she put her bandana back on. "Okay. You guys saw it. You happy?"

TK and Kari were visibly trying to contain their laughter. Even Cody tried to hold in his snicker. Davis wasn't at the table for obvious reasons.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! **HAHA!**"

Daichi had no such trouble holding in his laughter.

Yolei resisted the urge to smack Daichi right there. She growled, "Gee…thanks for the support guys."

"Sorry Yolei," replied Cody. "I have to admit that the image WAS a little funny…"

Kari smiled good-naturedly as she stared at Yolei. "Besides, I think this whole sibling rivalry thing you've got going is cute…well, sort of."

Yolei nearly burst a blood vessel. "Cute? CUTE? Need I remind you of what Davis did to me LAST time?"

"And what exactly did you do to Davis the other time?" asked Cody.

Yolei glanced at Daichi, who merely coughed nervously. The black-haired boy muttered, "Well…it involved a smoke bomb, glue in a chair, laxatives and a lack of toilet paper, and finally some Icy-Hot balm in the underwear."

TK, Kari, and Cody were silent. Daichi accusingly pointed at Yolei. "She paid me forty bucks to do it all. It was her idea!"

"Playing the blame game, eh?" countered Yolei. "Well fine…say what you will. But Davis is NOT going to have the last word here! I'll see to that!" As Yolei walked away to hang out with her partner, Daichi sighed with relief. "Man…she's scary."

"I guess you can say that," replied TK with a shrug. "But I know she has a gentle side…it's just that she's incapable of bringing it out against Davis."

Kari nodded. "That's true."

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 3:27 PM/

Mantarou manned the register alone while Jun and Momoe spoke with Subaru and Sasuke in the back room. Mrs. Inoue frowned as she stared at the photo (of course, she had initially laughed). "So…Davis pranked Yolei?"

"Looks like it…and apparently, this isn't the only incident," replied Momoe. "It's just a hunch…but it's a strong hunch."

Sasuke sighed wistfully as his eyes became filled with nostalgia. "Ah…I almost forgot how it felt to see your kids experience a sibling rivalry. The joy of seeing them settle their differences! I've forgotten what a sibling rivalry looks like…"

Jun, Momoe, and Chizuru facefaulted. Subaru sweatdropped as she thought, _He can be a bit of an oaf…but he's a lovable oaf._

Chizuru got off the floor and said, "Well…either way, this calls for a family intervention." She walked out of the back room and into the main convenience store-

"AAAAAAAAAAAH! SCARY SCISSOR LADY!"

"YOU MUTILATED MY HAIR, SO I'LL DO THE SAME TO YOURS!"

Chizuru blanched at the sight of Davis running into the store, scared beyond all belief. Yolei was right behind him, angrily waving around a pair of scissors. Without a pause, the black belt rushed forward towards the two siblings.

A quick palm thrust to Yolei's gut stopped her, and a sweep kick to Davis sent him to the floor. "Now that we have your attention…it's time for a family intervention." Chizuru dragged Yolei into the back room, whilst Jun walked out and picked up the groaning Davis.

As the two carried the pranksters into the back room, Mantarou and the loyal customer Mr. Takenawa watched silently.

Finally, the old man with the gray bowl hat asked, "What a strange family you have."

Mantarou sighed. "Don't I know it. Here's your change."

xxxx

/Living Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 3:36 PM/

Yolei and Davis both sat on the couch. Subaru, Sasuke, Momoe, Chizuru, and Jun stood up, staring quietly at them. Veemon and Poromon peered quietly from around the corner of the hallway.

Finally, Davis asked, "So…what's this all abou-?"

"HUP HUP HUP! Wait…" Sasuke suddenly stood between the two groups, holding a sign above his head that said 'FAMILY INTERVENTION!' Complete with a smiley face. Mr. Inoue cheerily said, "We will now commence Family Intervention #49!" Sasuke put the sign down and moved back to his spot.

Davis sweatdropped. Yolei facefaulted. _Dad…_

"To answer your question Davis…" Jun pulled out the incriminating photograph of Yolei from earlier that morning. "It's about the events that led to this."

Davis nervously gulped. Yolei glared angrily at Davis.

"And it'd better be the truth," muttered Chizuru.

So Davis explained…and so did Yolei.

Davis spoke of the soap, the fork, and the door slam that led to him pranking Yolei in the first place. In her defense, Yolei denied them all (even the last one; she never knew it happened). From the hallway, the two Digimon sweatdropped at the mention of the soap and the fork. Next came the telling of the first two pranks: the Kick Me sign and the toilet flush whilst Davis was in the bathroom. Then, Davis explained his first round of pranks (see the Prankster Menace). Yolei then explained her retaliation (see Attack of the Pranks). Finally, Davis spoke of what he had done earlier that morning.

All in all, the explanation took thirty minutes.

When it ended, Chizuru said, "Well…apparently, you've both taken this WAY out of proportion."

"Not only that, but it seems both of you have let your competitiveness get the best of you," noted Subaru. "Because there's been no effective end to it; you both feel the need to get the last word…or in this case, the last prank."

"Of course! Not doing so would be admitting defeat!" retorted Davis.

Yolei grimaced at the enemy prankster. "Didn't you just hear her? She was right about your competitiveness!"

Davis roared back at his sister. "AND WHAT ABOUT YOU?"

Yolei got into Davis' face, yelling, "DON'T PUT ME ON YOUR LEVEL!"

Sasuke suddenly knelt down to them, calmly – and surprisingly seriously – saying, "Calm down." He then knocked their heads together.

"**OW!"** yelped both Digidestined as they clutched their heads.

Sasuke grinned as he walked toward the closet. "It seems to me that you kids need another way to vent your super competitiveness…so you're going to do so in a way that won't result in awkward social situations or utter humiliation!"

To Davis and Yolei's shock, Sasuke plopped a bunch of boxes on the table in front of the couch. Mr. Inoue goofily grinned as he said, "GAMES! Board games, dice games, card games…the works!"

Davis and Yolei sweatdropped. Chizuru, Momoe, and Jun blinked. Subaru smiled. "Wonderful idea honey!"

Davis grumbled. "I'm not gonna play those games…they're stupid. Now, if it was an arcade, THEN we're in business!"

Yolei took this opportunity to get a shot out at her sibling rival. "Are you saying you're afraid of the challenge? Afraid that you'll LOSE?"

That was all it took. Davis hurriedly grabbed a box – Connect-Four – and sat on the other side of the table, saying, "Bring it on! I'm black."

As the two began their Connect-Four battle, the parents smiled. The older sisters grinned. Their work was done…so they all went downstairs to continue work in the convenience store.

And all the while, Veemon and Poromon continued to watch, never bothering to come out to attest to their involvement with the soap and the fork.

Why?

Because they feared they would be subject to more Torture-Cola. Fear is powerful, ain't it?

Two minutes later…

"I WIN!"

Davis grumbled as he glared at the four red discs lined neatly together. "Fluke. AGAIN!"

Ten victories later…

"WE'RE PLAYING SOMETHING ELSE!" roared Davis as he put away Connect-Four and pulled out another box. Inside it was a game of checkers. "Ah…now THIS is a game I'm good at."

Yolei grinned. "Whatever. I'm red." She had this in the bag. She had already won eleven games in a row!

One hour later…

"I WIN!"

Yolei growled; out of twelve games, she had won only once. Davis grinned as he mockingly said, "Heh…you want to play again?"

"Fat chance! We're playing something different!" The Child of Caring grabbed another box.

Seven minutes later…

"AH! YOU SUNK MY BATTLESHIP!" wailed Davis as Yolei destroyed his last vessel. By now, Veemon and Poromon were quietly watching.

Twenty-five minutes later…

Davis placed a white stone down on wooden 19x19 grid board. Yolei responded by placing a black stone down.

They were playing Go…and truth to tell, neither of them were as accomplished players as, say, Cody Hida or Ken Ichijouji (remember episode 26 of Revision?). Still…it was a way for them to compete.

One hour later…

"Checkmate!"

"DARN YOU YOLEI!"

Fifteen minutes later…

"UNO!"

"DARN YOU DAVIS!"

Six minutes later…

"1, 2, 3!"

Silence.

Finally, Davis grinned. "HAH! Rock beats scissors!"

"Phooey."

Three minutes later…

"Tic-tac-toe, three in a row!"

Yolei roared, "Best three out of five!"

"You're on!"

Thirty minutes later…

_Clickity-clack._

Davis grinned as the five dice fell onto the table. "Yes! YAHTZEE! I win!"

Yolei grumbled as put the dice back in the cup. "Best two out of three!"

"You're on!" retorted the Child of Miracles as he watched Yolei shake the dice up in the cup. As they played, Veemon and Poromon cheered their respective partners on.

As the Digidestined played their hardest, Jun and Momoe were watching them secretly from the stairwell that led to the back room of the convenience store. The former Motomiya child smiled as she said, "I'm glad they've got the pranking out of their systems."

"You never know…sibling rivalries are very volatile things," replied Momoe. "If something goes wrong…the pranking will begin all over again."

Shouts broke out from the table.

"Full house! Take that Davis!"

"I'll beat that! Gimme the dice!"

And so the games continued on…and as much Davis and Yolei hated to admit…they were actually having fun.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 20: A Night on the Town

xxxx

Author's Notes: Next chapter takes a break from the main characters…and it shows our favorite purple Digimon make a new friend…who is a troublemaker as well!

So…who liked the board games? And the pranks. :P

See you soon, and please review!


	20. A Night on the Town

Standard Disclaimer: Can someone do this for me? Please?

Author's Notes: ACK…TOO MANY REVIEWS! (overloads and crashes) XP

(reboots in safe mode)

To the reviews!

Dark Qiviut: I saw those reviews you left for KoumiLoccness. I must say…rather 'choice' words. :P

Now to your other reviews.

I'm not angry. On the contrary, I'm quite impressed with your honesty on the matter. Your opinion is your opinion, and not mine. HOWEVER, there is something I have to talk about.

IMHO, it seems that your fandom of Davis is coloring your opinion of a story. The reviews you've left on 'A Revision' are FILLED with respect, enjoyment, and the overall sense that you liked/loved it. Check back yourself. This latest review of yours contradicts those statements you made in 'Revision'.

Now I'll admit that Davis was singled out a bit when it came to getting 'bashed' (although I STILL don't believe I bashed him as much as you make it out to be…or that I 'bashed' him at all). But in my opinion, that's part of Davis' nature in a way; he falls down, only to pick himself back up again, stronger than ever. After all, he's finally getting his revenge on Yolei, isn't he? Plus, for every bad moment Davis had, he had a good moment (or two…or more) to outshine it. He was the FIRST to get two Digieggs, he unlocked the power to defeat Chimeramon, he unleashed the Golden Power of the Crest of Miracles (thus unlocking the Older Kids' crests once more, unlocking DNA Digivolving, AND Holy Armor Energizing0, AND he was the only kid brave enough to kick Myotismon in the shin. ;P

And as for Darkheart…I personally think that was outshined by Davis' defeat of his dark alter ego, as well as his abilities as a leader in the final episodes. If it weren't for him, the Digiknight would have never come to be. And you know what THAT means. ;)

When you take time to think about, Davis DID have more bad things happen to him…but when it came to having good things happen, Davis had far more than any other Digidestined.

But here's my main point: with the exceptions of when Davis was 'bashed', or when Yolei got too irritable for your liking, you 'hearted' my story. The above situations, when set up against the size of my story, are very small by comparison. Up against the entirety of Zero 2, the above situations constitute a TINY fraction of the entire thing.

All I'm saying is this; don't let your fandom/love for one character (Davis) or your dislike/hatred for another (Yolei or Kari) color your opinion of the story as a whole.

Even so, thank you for saying this. And like I told you in Revision…don't worry about apologizing or offending me. Okay:) (Seriously though, please take my words into consideration.)

Now…to the bright side of things! (boots him off a cliff twice) :P

feral-halliwell: No…not yet.

Dot Cubed: Yes. Yes he has.

RiEtz: Welcome to Housemates!

Yamimaru: I've heard of Daneel. Haven't read his work though.

Digi fan: Heh heh…WRONGO!

Cloud-821: Yes. Yes I am.

Anthony1: Darkheart? In this story? No…not here. In the future…yes.

Angel Of Fire: I have a helpful website. ;)

Wolfkun: Well, that was just over time; 48 family interventions stretched out over FOUR children (before Davis and Jun joined up) isn't quite unbelievable.

Assamite: Regular chess. I'll introduce Shogi into the Zero 2 series on a later date (when I understand the rules a bit more).

Bluesv20: Thank you.

Yami Vizzini: It's pronounced 'Ee-noo-way'. As for the 'Daiyako' thing…sorry. They're just too similar to work realistically together (for me, anyway).

Concerning the timeline, I spoke about this in an earlier chapter of Housemates when replying to reviews. Here's how it works: the moment Shaun went back in time to destroy Demon, he inadvertently created a NEW timeline. Since he wasn't IN the past in the original timeline, there was no choice but for a WHOLE new one to be created. In a way, you could say that the timeline Shaun came from was the original Season 2 of Digimon (with a Taiora, Mimato, and Daikari twist), and my Zero 2 timeline is the brand new one he inadvertently created.

As for Gennai waiting to see if Shaun went to see Demon…now why would he do that if Demon was dead? I'll let you draw your own conclusions for what awaits in the future. ;)

duskmon87: FORCE CHOKE!

SSJ4Takeru: HOLY SHRIMP! That's a LONG review. O.o;

Well…first off, let me say welcome!

As for your elevating me to 'legend' status…I don't belong there with the likes of Silver1, Silvormoon, and yourself. I only have ONE story to my credit. You have a sage stretching over ten fics, and Silver1 has his excellent 'Crystal Digimon Saga', plus the incredible 'Outcast' and 'Darkness Reborn'. Don't put me on a pedestal just yet; I still don't believe I belong there.

And, unfortunately, I haven't had much free time to read your D-Fusion stories. I've only read the last part of the Milleniummon Saga (the episode where Zeed dies…IT. IS. LONG. X.X). Perhaps in the future, when I have more time cleared up, I'll start from the beginning. And as for Galactic X…I noticed a review on your story where the reviewer mentioned my 'Digiknight' and what a coincidence it was for you to have the same idea. Guess we were just thinking on the same parallel. :P

Yay! Fellow Terminator fan! (hums the theme from the first movie)

As for what you wish to look forward to…if you like Matt, rock bands, and Etemon, then you'll like 'The Comeback Tour'. If you like ninja battles, then 'Battle of the Shinobi', which comes on RIGHT AFTER Housemates end. If you like intrigue, conspiracy, and Men in Black, then you'll like 'Digital Deception'. If you like Dragomon and the Dark World, then 'Shadows of the Light' is for you.

Thanks for the long review!

Ninetalesuk: UNCONSCIOUS!

Malebolgia: Wow. It's been awhile since you've reviewed. Welcome back!

Kmoney: You crazy. :P

Sora Potter: Welcome! To answer…

Davis survived the barrier's shock in episode 31 because it wasn't enough to kill someone. It shocked him…but it wasn't enough to kill him.

Davis survived Myotismon's Crimson Lightning because the Dark Digimon didn't WANT to kill him. It was meant to turn Davis into an example for everyone else who would dare try to stand up…and he didn't kill him because death is all too often a release from pain. Myotismon knows that…as do most Dark Digimon.

As for the lack of a scar…I think Davis' Crest of Miracles would've been enough to do away with it. ;)

Mady: Like I said earlier, I have a handy website.

Silver Warrior: GAH! The moment I uploaded the chapter, I saw that you'd left a review. CRICKETS!

Dang. Three whole pages of review answering. O.o;

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 20: A Night on the Town

xxxx

/Jun, Momoe, and Chizuru's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:27 PM/

Darkness swamped the entire room. The only light was from the window; the illumination was provided by a streetlamp.

Momoe had the top bunk. Jun had the bottom bunk. Chizuru had her own bed.

Suddenly, Momoe asked, "Do you think the pranks are over?"

"If those two know what's good for them, the pranks will remain over," replied Chizuru, her tone casual as ever.

Jun sighed from her bottom bunk. "Boy…I knew there'd be some trouble when we moved in…but I never thought THIS whole mess would happen."

Momoe giggled in response to Jun's seriousness. "Don't be such a worrywart Jun! Sibling rivalries are a normal thing for this family."

"It's just that the one Yolei and Davis have is greater than any other," pointed out Chizuru.

Momoe sweatdropped. "Well, that's true…but at least the pranks have stopped!"

"For now," countered Jun. "I have a feeling the peace won't last long…"

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:31 PM/

Yolei sighed as she kicked off her shorts and took off her shirt, rummaging through her drawers for a large nightshirt. "Man…that was tiring."

"What was tiring?" asked Poromon, who was polite enough to face the other way while Yolei changed.

"The games," drearily replied the Child of Caring as she finally found a suitable shirt.

Poromon blinked out of curiosity. "Huh? I thought you liked those games! You and Davis were having a lot of fun!"

"And we were!" countered Yolei, a small smile on her face as she poked her arms out of her purple, thigh-length T-shirt. "But the competition was so intense…I've never had a sibling rivalry as tiring as the one I have with Davis. Even the one I had with Mantarou several years ago doesn't compare!"

Poromon turned around at the sound of Yolei closing her drawers; that meant she was done changing. "At least it's not as bad as pranking each other constantly."

Yolei sighed with relief as she sat down on the bed and swung her legs over onto the sheets. "True…and I will admit that dealing with our differences this way is a lot nicer than pranking each other." She suddenly crossed her arms as a cross look crossed her face. "But if Davis starts pranking me again, I'm not gonna take it lying down!"

"Of course not," replied Poromon, a sweatdrop clinging onto his head. "That just wouldn't be you then, would it?"

Yolei giggled innocently at her partner. "Nope!" _Even so…I wish I could get along with Davis the same way I do with Cody, TK, Kari, or Mimi…_

Not Ken though. The way she felt about him…was reserved for the Child of Kindness alone.

_I just wish we didn't rub each other the wrong way…we'd be a lot better off for it_. Yolei grimaced as she took off her purple bandana, feeling at what remained of her lavender hair. _Still…he didn't have to go so far as to hack my hair off! It's going to take a whole month to grow back!_

Yolei just sighed as she got out of bed and turned off the lights before getting back into bed.

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:37 PM/

"Gee Davis, you and Yolei sure know how to take a board game seriously."

"So?" retorted Davis at his older brother, who sat on the top bunk. "Whenever I do something, I give it my all. If I can't give it my all, then what's the point?"

"Is that why you didn't want to join the play that starts next month?" asked Demiveemon, whose head was poking out from under Davis' pillow. He had found out about it after rummaging through an outside trashcan at the school; a school document detailed a play starting in January.

Davis grunted as he took his goggles off. "Heck yeah! I always have to dress up in itchy clothes!" Mantarou sighed out of content as Davis turned the lights off. As Davis opened the window – his reason being that it was little warm inside – he said, "You sound happy."

Mantarou chuckled at Davis' statement. "I'm happy for both you and Yolei. No more awkward moments of social humiliation. Instead, it's replaced by competitive gaming. Nice winning spree you had with the checkers, by the way."

Davis grinned as he got into his bed. "Don't you know it!" _I will admit…it's good to know I won't have to do any more pranks. I was starting to run out of ideas._

However…that didn't mean that he would let his guard down. He knew how vengeful Yolei could be; she might prank him again out of spite. _And if she does…I'll strike back!_

Silence.

The Child of Miracles suddenly groaned inwardly. _Man…this bites. Why can't Yolei just treat me like she does with the other Digidestined? It'd make our lives a heck of a lot easier!_ Davis merely sighed as he went to sleep.

Sometimes, I bet you all wish Davis and Yolei would just come out and talk instead of dragging things on so far, eh?

Oh well. Now we turn our attention to something else…

xxxx

/Rooftop, Etsuya Apartment, Odaiba, Friday, December 2nd, 12:02 AM/

Night had officially changed to morning…and the date had advanced by one day.

It is early in the morning…and our attention turns to one Digimon…

"Feh! Whosever built dis joint shoulda included stairs!"

Yep. Impmon.

Impmon grimaced as he scrambled over the roof's edge, plopping down onto the hard rooftop of the apartment complex. Unfortunately for him, Daichi's window had no fire escape…which meant no stairs leading up and down. I'm sure you can imagine how hard it is to ascend via climbing windowsills.

The purple Rookie breathed heavily as he stood up, gazing at the bright skyline of Odaiba and the rest of Toyko that sat beyond. "Heh…what a sight ta behold. The night's young…and so am I!"

Impmon laughed as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop; the close proximity of the buildings and the Digimon's jumping ability made traveling no problem whatsoever.

As Impmon hopped from building to building, he spoke aloud to himself. "Okay…foist things foist! A bar. Gotta get booze! And den…whatever da heck comes next! Maybe I'll light a hobo on fire as a prank! Oh, or scare the livin' bejeesus out of people at a restaurant! Free food!"

Okay, so it was quite obvious Impmon wasn't as morally guided as the other Digidestined's partners. But then again, that was part of his character now wasn't it?

"Heh heh," chuckled Impmon as he prepared to leap. "Time for a night on the…" He leapt. "TOWN!"

**SLAM!**

Impmon yelped as he slammed straight into someone in midair. The Rookie Digimon and the unknown object fell down, crashing right into a dumpster.

"…ow…" moaned the mysterious figure, the voice apparently masculine. "Okay, who's the idiot who slammed into me?"

Impmon growled as he pulled himself out of the dumpster. "Okay youse wise guy! Put em up, or I'll give you a taste of my Bada Boom!" He got a glimpse at the figure…and blinked. "Hey! You're a Digimon!"

The Digimon jumped out of the dumpster and landed in front of Impmon. The figure was no bigger than a Patamon; he was essentially a talking head with feet and wings. His light blue feet had three blood-red talons. His head was covered in dark gray fur, with a large blue covering extending over his wings and forehead. He possessed sharp fangs, and his yellow eyes were filled with mischief. To round the image off was the image of a skull on his forehead. His lips were contorted into a scowl. "Of course I'm a Digimon you klutz! The name's DemiDevimon, and don't you forget it!"

Impmon scowled. "DemiDevimon eh? Well my name's Impmon!"

"I didn't ask for your name!" roared DemiDevimon.

"And I didn't ask for yours!" retorted Impmon.

"**GRRRR!"** growled the two Rookies, lightning crackling between their eyes.

Finally, the two angrily turned away. "Hmph!"

Impmon grunted, "Just don't bump into me again, youse got it bub?"

"Whatever!" retorted DemiDevimon. The devilish Rookie floated into the air, muttering, "Kay…gotta find a bar."

Impmon's ears pricked at the sound of 'bar'. "…did youse just say…youse lookin' for a bar?"

"What's it to you?" asked DemiDevimon, his tone indicating his testy mood.

Impmon grinned as he turned around to face the winged Rookie. "I was lookin' for one too."

DemiDevimon was silent; from the looks of it, he was considering what Impmon was offering…even though the purple imp hadn't said anything outright. Finally, he said, "Hmm…was considering stealing drinks from the bar itself…but then I remembered that there's a lot of drunken men this time of night, and they'll probably beat us up if we try to steal."

Impmon snorted. "Some Digimon youse are. Cowerin' from a perfectly good ruckus? Softie!"

"Unlike you – who shall now be known as Mr. Idiot – **_I_** know when to pick my fights," retorted DemiDevimon.

_Mr. Idiot?_ Steam erupted from Impmon's nostrils. "Why YOUSE!"

DemiDevimon suddenly smirked. "So instead…we'll buy our way into the bar…but since we Digimon don't exactly have access to money…we'll have to steal it from some poor schmucks."

"Now hold on there!" interrupted Impmon. "Stealing money is bad! It's illegal, immoral, wrong, and most importantly of all…not nice!"

DemiDevimon snorted. _Great…another Goody-Two-Shoes_. "And what's that supposed to mean to me?"

"It means…" Impmon's face lit up into a sadistic grin. "Dat I'm all for it! Let's get us some loot!"

DemiDevimon blinked, honestly bewildered by the sudden turn-around decision…then he realized it was all a joke, meant to confuse him. _Heh…I like this guy._ "Fine then…well if we're going to steal money, we might as well do it with some pizzazz!"

"You're speaking my language," replied Impmon as he snapped his right fingers; a small orb of fire popped into place on his index finger.

"Not bad…but I know of a place near the bay. A warehouse that's currently used as a storage area for a lot of shops in Odaiba." DemiDevimon grinned; in the relatively short amount of time he had been in the city, he had explored a great deal near Tokyo Bay (although he had stayed away from the inner parts of Odaiba, for obvious reasons)…including the warehouse he was alluding to: Warehouse #1. "There's something there I think you'll like."

Impmon snorted as DemiDevimon flew off. "Eh…youse better be right about dis." He immediately climbed up the side of the building, following the tiny devil.

xxxx

/Warehouse #1, Tokyo Bay, Odaiba, 12:27 AM/

Unlike Warehouse #7 – the abandoned place that Saito and his thugs called their current hangout (or at least, they DID until Chizuru showed up) – Warehouse #1 was bustling with activity. A number of forklifts, delivery trucks, industrial cargo crates, and even a crane sat around the large warehouse.

And right now, two troublemakers were sneaking in through a ventilation shaft that led to the roof.

Impmon plopped down on top of a crate that sat mere feet below the vent, lighting his finger with an orb of fire so he could see. A large number of aisles consisting of nothing more than crates – neatly labeled with identification numbers – filled the entire warehouse.

"This way," muttered DemiDevimon as he floated out of the vent and towards the third aisle closest to the right side of the warehouse. Impmon followed him across the tops of the aisles, eventually seeing the little devil opening a brown crate with the identification code 'SJ21994'. "Yeah…here we are!"

"What's in da box?" asked Impmon.

When DemiDevimon opened the crate, Impmon knew immediately. Joshua Kido's partner remarked, "This crate is part of a shipment to a store that sells fireworks, party stuff, stuff for jokes, stuff for pranks, stuff for stuff, yadda yadda yadda…and you know what that means…"

Impmon grinned as DemiDevimon grabbed a bag and filled with a random assortment of stuff. "Light show."

xxxx

_**Patatatatatatatatatatatata!**_

"AAAAAH!"

A man going for a late late late walk in the park screamed as a string of firecrackers lit up and exploded in front of him.

"Demi Dart!"

The man gagged as a large syringe jabbed his butt…and then he fell unconscious. Impmon leapt down from a dead cherry blossom and began rummaging through the man's pockets. "Aha! Found his wallet!" As he rummaged through the wallet, Daichi's partner asked, "He ain't dead, is he?"

DemiDevimon replied, "Nope. He'll be awake in about an hour." To be honest, DemiDevimon was grateful that his Demi Dart's toxin had been downgraded from deadly poison to a knockout liquid after Demon had removed his Dark Spore. He didn't need that kind of firepower around here.

"Hmm…fifty bucks!" Impmon stuffed the bills inside his gloves. "Let's see if we can score again! I wanna make sure we gots a lot of spendin' money!"

DemiDevimon grinned as he took to the air, a bag full of material from Warehouse #1 in his claws. "Gotcha!" Both Rookies disappeared into the night.

xxxx

A blue-haired woman returning home from her job's night shift suddenly yelped as a bunch of orbs slammed into the ground, lighting up in multiple flashes. "What the…?"

POW!

She grunted as she fell to the ground…courtesy of Impmon's foot to the back of her head. The purple Digimon quickly grabbed her purse and started rummaging through it.

DemiDevimon set down beside Impmon and asked, "Whatcha got?"

"Seventy bucks! 120 in total…PLENTY for booze!" Impmon chuckled as he thought of the inebriation that would soon come.

"Well, we gotta ditch the bag then." DemiDevimon looked inside the fireworks bag and said, "Only a powder bomb left. Let's just dump it."

Impmon casually grabbed the small cylinder – when the string on the lid was pulled, a shower of white powder would erupt from within the pressurized container – and tossed it over his shoulder. "Problem solved. Now…to the bar!"

As Impmon and DemiDevimon trotted off in search of the nearest bar, the powder bomb flew into an open window. The two Rookies never noticed.

xxxx

/Watsuki's Bar, Odaiba, 12:57 AM/

Considering how late it was, the bar still had a surprisingly large number of customers. There were still about a dozen people in the bar, not including the bartender. All of them were men; mostly the kind who had once been like Daichi's dad: drinking away their sorrows. The lone exception was a group of three guys who were basically having fun laughing at anything; that's how drunk they were.

The saloon itself was rather basic; black tile floors with fifteen wooden tables set up. Each table had four chairs covered with red leather, and fifteen stools were lined up against the bar. The wooden bar was lined with chrome, and a mirror covered the entire wall behind it. Metal shelves lined the front of the mirror, and bottles upon bottles of alcohol sat on them. The saloon was lit up by dull yellow lights, and there was a hazy quality to the air; most likely due to the cigars being used by the group of three merry men.

The bartender was a tall and rather clean-looking man; he was completely bald, and his black facial hair was neatly trimmed. He wore a white apron over his clothing, which in turn was rather casual (blue jeans and a black shirt). He was quite muscular…which was good, considering that people tended to get a bit rowdy when drunk. His green eyes shifted lazily as he cleaned a glass; as the proprietor and bartender, it was his responsibility to make sure everything remained in order.

His name: Noboru Watsuki.

The doors opened. Everyone lazily turned…and their eyes immediately hardened, despite their drunken state.

DemiDevimon and Impmon sauntered into the bar. The eye of every drunkard turned on them; the animosity was evident. The two Digimon immediately hopped onto two stools. Noboru frowned; he could tell some of the customers didn't like them already. "We don't serve Digimon."

Impmon grinned as he pulled out twenty dollars from his glove. "Youse wouldn't say dat to a payin' customer, now would ya?"

Noboru frowned. Even though some of the patrons looked ready to actually stand up…he couldn't deny those who had money to pay. "Fine…what'll it be?"

"Gimme the best stuff you've got!" exclaimed DemiDevimon.

"And for me…get me the strongest booze youse got!" demanded Impmon.

Watsuki frowned. "That'll run you well over one hundred dollars."

Impmon pulled out the rest of the cash. "Will 120 bucks do it?"

Noboru Watsuki nodded as he grabbed the bills and put them in the cash register. As he reached for the bartenders, he heard DemiDevimon yell, "And don't bother with glasses! Just give us the bottles!"

"Hee hee hee…impatient, aren't we?"

Impmon and DemiDevimon blinked as a strange figure stepped out of the back room. He was basically nothing more than an eggshell with green legs sticking out. The middle of the shell was broken, revealing black emptiness with two yellow eyes.

It was Digitamamon. He spoke in his customary voice; it sounded like he was speaking through his nose. "But then again, that's my favorite kind of customer! In and out, giving money in exchange for what you want without any fuss over niceties."

DemiDevimon grinned at the sight of his former partner-in-crime (from WAAAAAY back in Season 1; remember when Matt first got Garurumon to digivolve? That episode.). "Well…never thought I'd see you in the Real World. What about your restaurant?"

"I've got a friend of mine running it," replied Digitamamamon as he pushed a cart full of new sake bottles with his feet. Balanced on top of his head was a tray of sushi for one of the customers. "Besides, I like working here! Far more business, which means much more money! Hee hee hee! With my culinary expertise and business know-how, we've managed to attract more customers than ever before!" He slyly glanced upward at Watsuki. "Isn't that right…partner?"

Noboru grinned slightly as he fingered a small object in his pocket: a digivice. "I have to say that that's true: Digitamamon's been a boon to me since he got here. And I guess that makes me a little proud to say that I'm the first bar owner in Tokyo to serve both humans AND Digimon." He set down two bottles in front of DemiDevimon and Impmon. "But no rough-housing."

"Gotcha," muttered DemiDevimon as he pulled the cork out with his talons.

Impmon grinned as he took one swig of the bitter and slightly tangy liquor he had bought. "Just keep supplying the booze, and we'll behave!"

Forty minutes later…

"Sho thish Bakemon was givin' me a bunch of lip…" muttered DemiDevimon, the slur evident in his voice.

By this time, Impmon and the rest of the drinkers – four had already left by now – had gathered around DemiDevimon as he was retelling an old tale of his. "Uh huh, go on…"

"Then I plunge him with my Demi Dart…AND HE EXSHPLODESH!" dramatically yelled DemiDevimon. Suddenly, he fell backwards onto the floor. "Whoopsh…I've fallen and I can't get up!"

A round of raucous laughter erupted from the patrons. Impmon boasted, "Oh yeh? Well lemme tell you shomethin'…dat ain't nothin' compared to when I got my kisser kicked!"

A black-haired human slurred, "Who was it? Thug? Police? Hobo?"

"Nope…A FRICKEN' CAT!" He was alluding to when Gatomon had kicked him off the roof…but none of the drunkards knew that.

This new information caused more laughter to erupt from the drunkards. Even DemiDevimon was having a giggle fit. As Impmon drank the last bit of his liquor, he looked inside his gloves…and frowned. "Aw dang…only fifty-four shents left. Hey barkeep! Will dish be enough fer another bottle?"

Noboru sighed as Digitamamon snickered at the stupid question. "No…it's not even enough to buy ANYTHING. Since you're out of money…I suggest you leave."

Impmon angrily pounded the table as DemiDevimon wearily pulled himself up. "Youshe a rude guy, youshe know dat? I oughta kick your butt, ya panshy!" Impmon stepped onto the table, his movement wobbly thanks to the alcohol. "Come on!"

Noboru sighed as he glanced at Digitamamon. "Get those two out of here…"

"With pleasure boss!" exclaimed Digitamamon as he glanced at a dark corner of the bar. "Yo! Goro Gyusalamee! Chop chop!"

At that moment, an 8'6" humanoid figure stepped out of that corner. He looked exactly like Futa Ishisamee…except instead of gold, he wore jet-black armor. It was an Elitemon…and the black armor meant he was of the Ultimate level.

Impmon and DemiDevimon sweatdropped at the sight of the large Elitemon. DemiDevimon yelped, "HE'S your partner too?"

"No," replied Goro Gyusalamee as he cracked his knuckles. "I was hired." Although the Prophets of Reality and Absolution had relocated to America after the Odaiba War, some of the Forbidden City Digimon had gone abroad to search for a new existence. Those who had not gone with the Forbidden City leaders Reality and Absolution (not to mention Wisdom, who had returned to the Digital World along with a number of Elitemon and Huntermon who did not find the Real World to be so grand) had mostly remained in Japan. Goro was one of them.

The rest of the drunkards impulsively backed away as the black Elitemon stood ominously over Impmon and DemiDevimon. "My job is rather simple; deal with ruffians and those who are no longer welcome here. You are the latter."

He picked both of them up by the head. "Now…" He opened the entryway with his foot. "BE GONE!"

With a quick heave, Impmon and DemiDevimon were both tossed out. With an angry snort, Goro closed the door.

_CRASH!_

Both Rookies landed smack-dab in the middle of a garbage dumpster in an alleyway…on the opposite side of the road that Watsuki's Bar stood on.

Impmon grumbled as he removed a banana peel that sat on his head. "I'm ready to call it a night."

"Agreed," concurred DemiDevimon.

xxxx

"You've got me turning up and turning down and turning in and turning round'…" slurred DemiDevimon as he haphazardly flew through the air, his inebriated mind affecting his ability to fly. Plus, Impmon was hanging onto his legs. And right now…both he and Impmon were singing a song.

Impmon sang as he hanged on to DemiDevimon's ankles. "Turning Japaneshe, you've got me turning Japaneshe, I really think sho!"

Except they were singing off-key. But hey, they were drunk.

DemiDevimon chirped in. "Turning Japaneshe, you've got me turning Japaneshe, I really think sho!"

**SLAM!**

DemiDevimon and Impmon groaned as they slammed face-first into a sliding glass door. They fell down onto a small, secluded apartment porch. "Ow…"

Suddenly, the door was slid open by a man with blue hair, a blue mustache, and a weary-looking face. It was a face DemiDevimon easily recognized. "Yo…I'm back…"

It was Joshua Kido: father of Joe. Yes, the same one who wanted his children to have a medical career no matter what. Yes, the same one who was a real stiff when it came to relaxing or taking a break. Yes, his partner was DemiDevimon.

Hey, opposites attract. Sometimes, however…it's a bit unfortunate.

Joshua's eyebrow twitched as he glanced at DemiDevimon and Impmon. "Found a new friend, have you? Seems like a real role model."

Impmon pointed out, "I detect sharcashm!"

Joshua's nostrils twitched. "I can already smell the alcohol from here." He frowned as he stepped back inside. "You know the rule. Sober up before coming inside." The door was shut quietly.

DemiDevimon groaned. "Man…he'sh shuch a shtiff…"

"Who caresh? Hish fault for misshing good booze." Impmon stood up carefully as he moved toward the edge of the porch rail. "I had a gash…we've gotta go on another beer run shoon!"

"I'm counting on it…" droned DemiDevimon as he slumped onto the ground, falling asleep where he sat.

Impmon just stepped off the rail…and fell downwards towards an alley. In his drunken state, the purple Digimon didn't realize he was over ten stories high in the air.

Fortunately…he was caught. By a familiar warrior in gold.

Futa Ishisamee groaned as he put the tiny Rookie on the ground. It was fortunate that he had followed them; if he hadn't seen them being thrown out of Watsuki's Bar by an Elitemon, he wouldn't have been here. "Mind telling me why you decided to commit suicide?"

"I'm jusht light-headed!" retorted Impmon, who immediately clutched his head afterwards. "Oh, pain…it'sh loud!"

Futa sighed. It was fortunate he had been watching over the Digidestined for a majority of his time spent prowling the city. That included people who were new to having a partner. "Let's get you home."

"Jusht gimme shome money and take me to a bar! That'sh good enough!" demanded Impmon. That tirade was immediately followed by pain in the skull.

Futa sweatdropped as he leapt on top of an apartment building with one push off an alley wall. "This is why I don't drink."

As the Mega Digimon carried Impmon away, the little purple Rookie's mind was filled with thoughts of DemiDevimon, alcohol, and laughter. _Heh…he ain't so bad after all…a Mon after my own heart!_

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 6:49 AM/

Demiveemon yawned as he sat up. _Boy…it's a little chilly in here!_

As he glanced towards the window, he realized why; it had been left open all night. _No wonder…huh? What's that?_

A small white cylinder with a pull-string was sitting on the floor near the window. The little In-Training curiously hopped out of bed and grabbed it. "Huh?"

It was none other than the same powder bomb Impmon had thrown away last night. The window he had inadvertently thrown it into had been Davis'. Demiveemon curiously picked it up and jumped back onto Davis' bunk. "Davish?"

The Child of Miracles dully groaned, "What is it Demiveemon…?" He blinked as his In-Training partner shoved the white cylinder in his face. "What is this?"

Demiveemon shrugged. "I dunno. I saw it on the floor."

Davis drearily reached for the pull-string – his mind was still too drowsy to realize what the cylinder truly was – and did the only natural thing that one does with presented with a pull-string.

He pulled it.

**_CHOOM!_**

The entirety of Davis, Demiveemon, the bottom bunk, and the immediate area around the bunk was coated with powder. Fortunately for Mantarou, he endured no powder.

Davis was silent as he stared angrily at the now-empty cylinder. He was now fully awake…and he had only one thought on his mind.

_Darn it Yolei…you just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you? Well guess what; you asked for it!_

So there you have it…once again, Digimon have inadvertently caused a Prank War…or, in this case, the revival of it.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 21: A New Prank

xxxx

Author's Notes: The pranks return next chapter! Davis once again will exercise his talent as…THE PRANKSTER!

And next chapter…he'll get some unexpected help.

FYI, the song DemiDevimon and Impmon were singing was 'Turning Japanese' by The Vapors.

See you soon, and please review!


	21. A New Prank

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon!

Author's Notes: First things first.

London was attacked recently by terrorists. These barbaric scum think they can cow the British into fear and surrender…but they won't. To show fear now is to admit defeat. In war, the only goal is victory…and in this war on terrorism, Great Britain has endured and won a battle against those who would seek the end of civilization.

In my opinion, this might serve as a wake-up call to those who have become apathetic; there are people out there who want to kill us simply because they hate us. It makes me think of 9/11 all over again…and it inflames me. It reminds me of what those terrorists have done…and what they will do should we let our guard down.

To quote the citizens of London from World War II…**WE ARE STILL HERE**.

Now to the more upsetting news. (inhales)

**_AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHH!_** I can't **BELIEVE IT!**

My laptop – my Dell Inspiron 5150 – started having problems at the beginning of June, roughly one year and one month after I got it for my birthday. Starting in June, the LCD screen suddenly blanked out. Poof, like that. So I simply used a monitor hookup, no big.

On the sixth of July, my laptop suddenly froze. I turned it on, pressed the power button. The green lights lit up for several seconds…before my laptop went kaput.

Now it refuses to turn on.

As it turns out, the i5150 model has a hardware flaw where the motherboard is easily damaged. Unfortunately, I'm past my warranty.

…and I'm ticked because all of my stories and downloaded Halo videos are on it, AS WELL as music files. And I was ALMOST done with chapter 21…now I have to redo it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Bleh…due to my frustration, I won't be responding to reviews this time. My apologies, but I just wanna get this chapter out as quickly as possible.

In other news, I just got my first vehicle! (is now the proud owner of a 1978 GMC Sierra Grande half-ton pickup truck that looks ten years younger and feels twenty years younger)

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 21: A New Prank

xxxx

/Lunch Table, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 12:09 PM/

"So Daichi, what are you planning to do for Christmas?"

Daichi shrugged as he gobbled some noodles out of his cup of Oriental-flavored ramen. "Eh, I'll probably see if I can finally get a date."

You see, Japan did not celebrate Christmas in the way that America or most of Europe celebrated the holiday. With the exception of the Christian minority, Japan did not celebrate Christmas for religious reasons. Rather, it was a big day for commercial reasons…and romantic ones. Christmas in Japan was sort of like the equivalent of Valentine's Day in America.

However, the big holidays for Winter were the Emperor's Birthday – December 23rd – and the New Year's celebration, which lasted from December 31st and January 3rd. The New Year's holidays were such a big deal that practically EVERY business in Japan was closed. Even restaurants.

So you can see that tourism during the Winter holidays isn't exactly a priority…but nevertheless, it was a big deal for Japanese citizens. It was time for relaxation and family.

Yolei giggled as she sipped her grape juice (of course, she still wore a purple bandana to hide her hack-job of a haircut). "Aw…is Daichi looking for some wuv?"

"Don't forget that I'm the one who helped you out," countered Daichi with sarcasm. Of course, he was referring to his infamous pranking of Davis.

TK smiled as he contentedly stretched his arms. "Well I know SOMEONE who's going out on Christmas."

_Ah…so he's finally found someone_, thought Kari with a smile. It was actually to be expected; TK Takaishi was one of the more popular guys in the middle school (after all, Kari knew how much the girls gossiped around the lockers). TK was no glory hound, oh no…but there was no denying that he had the looks and the physical build to be a heartthrob. _I wonder who the lucky girl is?_

No harm in asking, now was there? "So TK…who are you taking?"

"Huh?" asked TK out of confusion. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Oh no, not me! My mom and dad are the ones going on the date!"

Kari sweatdropped. "Oh." Even so, it was still good news! "Well, congratulations!"

"Feh, what's the big deal with that?" grumbled Daichi as he dangled a noodle down his throat. "They live with each other all the time, so what's the fuss for?"

TK calmly said, "They've been divorced since I was a little kid."

"…oh." That had effectively silenced Daichi. That is, until he raised his can of juice moments later and muttered, "Well hooray for them. Huzzah and all that jazz."

TK facefaulted.

"Hmm…Davis has been awfully quiet," commented Cody as he stared at Davis.

Kari nodded as she stared at her friend; come to think of it, Davis hadn't even touched his lunch yet. "Davis?"

Davis was seemingly staring intently at the lunch table, his eyes hard with focus. "…"

"He's not responding," muttered Cody as he bit into his sandwich.

"Eh, he's just mad I beat him at chess," boasted Yolei as she gobbled the rest of her chocolate brownie in one bite.

Daichi waved his hand in front of Davis' eyes. Then he snapped his fingers. "No one's home."

"Man…he must be thinking about something BIG if he can't even respond," said TK out of slight surprise.

Yolei made a mock gasp of shock. "Oh my! Davis is thinking so hard that his body's shut down!" A round of sweatdrops followed moments later.

Davis, meanwhile, was busy thinking about something obvious: how he was going to get revenge on Yolei Inoue. _Hmm…what to do what to do?_ And it couldn't just be any old prank…it had to be something big. Bigger than anything that had come before. He already had one idea…but pulling it off was an impossibility.

_Feh…my idea well's running dry…_

Davis suddenly blinked; he came out of his thought processes to see that the world was upside-down. He tilted his chin downward, forcing himself to look up. To his surprise, he was being held up by the ankles, courtesy of Daichi and TK. His brown eyes narrowed as he yelled, "HEY!"

"Whaddya know, he lives," sarcastically muttered Dacihi. TK sweatdropped.

Davis roared, "LET ME DOWN!"

Daichi innocently shrugged. "If you say so." He promptly let go; TK, surprised at suddenly having to deal with Davis' full weight, released his ankle.

**THUD.**

Davis groaned as he sat head-first on the ground. "…"

Cody calmly commented, "You must've been really thinking hard to not hear or respond, Davis."

"I know. Who would've ever suspected?" jokingly mocked Yolei with an innocent smile.

Davis mentally snarled. _Grin all you want Yolei…you'll get your comeuppance!_ Then he blinked. _Weird. Where'd I get THAT word?_

xxxx

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:09 PM/

The school's computer lab was empty…save for one certain red-haired Digidestined.

Izzy sat back in awe of the video display on the computer monitor. Beside that video display was a small window showing a black-and-white grid map. It was the Digital World Grid Map…now fully complete.

You see, the original version had been incomplete (imagine Izzy's shock when he found THAT out). Only the sectors on Server and Folder had been included…not that of Desktop or Backdrop.

Server. Folder. The western and eastern continents of the Digital World. In reality, they are one super-continent, separated by a massive stretch of land known as the End of the World: the site of the final battle between XeedMilleniummon and Neomon. The sectors went from ALPHA to OMEGA: 00-000-ALPHA began at the most northwestern sector of Server, whilst 11-111-OMEGA ended at the most southeastern tip of Folder.

Desktop. Backdrop. The northern and southern continents of the Digital World. Surprisingly, neither of these continents had been touched by the Digimon Emperor, UmbraDevimon, Darkheart…or even the Digidestined themselves. The sectors were classified differently than those on Server and Folder. The most northwestern sector on Desktop was Grid-00A…and the most southeastern sector on Backdrop was Grid-11Z.

The Digital World…separated into sectors…and right now, Izzy was watching something amazing. Well, he HAD. "Unreal…"

At that moment, the face of a wizened old man replaced the video display. His limp white mustache and narrow eyes were instantly recognizable, as was his black robes and wires sticking out of his back. It was Gennai, last living member of the Order. **"I told you that you would be impressed."**

"But still…the mere fact they restored the entire sector in a matter of minutes…it's just…" Izzy couldn't find any words to measure his awe.

You see, Izzy had just finished teaching afternoon computer class (as a matter of fact, since he was the computer class president, he was also the school's official computer tutor…and I just made a rhyme!) when Gennai had contacted him on the computer he was using.

To be short…he had offered Izzy the chance to watch all five Guardians utilize their powers to restore the sector of 01-111-NU.

Now I'm sure you're all a bit curious. What exactly DID happen to that sector?

On September 18th – a mere few weeks after the New Digidestined had first come into being – the Digidestined known as Shaun had been caught in a trap set up by the Emperor in sector 01-111-NU. That sector was home to the large city known as Little Edo. It was essentially a carbon copy of Tokyo during medieval times…except the citizens were Gekomon and Otamamon instead of humans.

The trap was rather simple; with a flood of Dark Spirals, the Emperor had enslaved all of the town's citizens, including their lord: ShogunGekomon. Their orders: capture Shaun.

So they had tried. However, Shaun had managed to elude his hunters, using the sewers and the many houses of Little Edo to hide from his pursuers. Unfortunately, he had been caught in the street…but fortunately, Davis and Raidramon had arrived to bail him out.

But it was at that time – 3:00 PM – that the Emperor's second trap had arrived over Little Edo. The tyrant didn't want to take any chances…so he had sent a nuclear missile.

The last-second arrival of Shaun's partner had been their only hope; using Sonocomon's speed, the three escaped Little Edo mere moments before the warhead exploded.

They had escaped unharmed. Little Edo – and the surrounding area – had been vaporized. Radiation leaked throughout the entire sector.

Normally, such damage would last for years…but the four Guardian Beasts – Azulongmon, Zhuqiaomon, Baithumon, and Xuanwumon – and the Guardian God Huanglongmon had combined their powers to purify the sector of the radiation and restore Little Edo in all its glory. Now all that was left was to wait until the city's denizens were reborn at Primary Village.

Gennai smiled at Izzy's awe. **"You shouldn't be surprised; they're the Guardians of the Digital World. Their powers are great."**

"True…but it shocks me to see the GOOD guys with so much power." Izzy was honestly surprised…because he considered it to be rather odd that such powerful titans would fall. Sure, Huanglongmon had been trapped inside Myotismon's body, and the Dark Masters attacked the Guardian Beasts one at a time. Plus, the Guardian Beasts had yet to regain their strength after the final battle against XeedMilleniummon. _So…I GUESS it's understandable._

Even so, Izzy wasn't surprised that the Guardians didn't need the Digidestined's help restoring the Digital World. Their powers were far greater…he doubted even the might of the Digiknight would be enough to compare.

"**Well Izzy, what I wanted to show you has ended, so I'll be signing off now. Toodles!"** happily chirped Gennai as his image disappeared.

Izzy blanched. "HEY! WAIT!" Izzy frantically tried to track the old man's digital footprints (after all, he never contacted Gennai; it was the other way around, and that often proved to be a pain to the Izumi child)…but to the Child of Knowledge's displeasure, he found that Gennai's tracks were already gone. "Gah…wily old coot…"

"Hey."

Izzy froze; someone had just walked in! Now keep in mind that even though Digimon were known to the Real World, it was a still a bad idea to let someone outside of the Digidestined know about a gateway that could pick any Digiport in the Digital World.

Fortunately, it turned out to be none other than Davis Inoue. "Oh…hi Davis. You startled me."

Davis smiled slightly at the red-haired boy. "Hi. If you don't mind, I'd like to go to the Digital World."

"Ah…" Izzy swiveled around and glanced at the Digiworld Grid Map as he asked, "Where's your partner?"

"Veemon went home with Yolei and Poromon," replied the Child of Miracles as he stared the computer monitor. "I'd like to go to…lessee…sector 01-111-BETA."

"Ah…the Gazimon Town. You're in luck; it was one of the first places to be rebuilt by the Guardians," commented the Child of Knowledge. "There…it's set."

Davis smiled as he held his blue D-3 toward the monitor. "Thanks." Izzy stepped back as the leader of the New Digidestined yelled, "DIGIPORT OPEN!"

Izzy Izumi shielded his eyes as a bright flash erupted from the monitor, overwhelming Davis. When the light faded, the Child of Miracles was gone.

xxxx

/01-111-BETA, 3:17 PM/

Gazimon Town. It was not the official name of the town…but considering that the initial founders and builders of the town were Gazimon, the name had stuck.

Of course, it had once been demolished…a fact Davis could see quite plainly.

Although the guardians had restored the plateau and the town to normal, there was an apparent dent in the side of the yellowish plateau that had not been there before. It had once looked far worse.

The Emperor, in retaliation for a deceptive act on Shaun's part, had increased the rate of his conquest of the Digital World. The Gazimon Town had been among his first targets; after all, the sector it sat in had once been under his control.

With four squads of Tankmon – forty in total – the Emperor had demolished the city from afar.

Thankfully, Davis took relief in the fact that it had been restored to normal. The town's cuboidal, simplistic buildings were made of the same yellow stone that the plateau was made of. The buildings themselves sat alongside a zig-zagging path that went up the plateau; the path had once been lined completely with stairs, but had since been smoothened out for easier travel. The town had also expanded; buildings now sat atop the plateau, as well as around the base. A coniferous forest circled the plateau for miles around, and a river lying near the side of the plateau snaked its way eastward.

Most of the denizens were Gazimon, Gizamon, and Veggiemon, but the Digidestined could also see Elecmon, Goblimon, Gotsumon, Floramon, and Pagumon about.

Speaking of Digidestined, Davis' status AS a Digidestined was drawing some attention.

Davis Inoue flushed as he heard various words of thanks, congratulations, felicitations, and other synonyms dealing with how he and the other Digidestined had helped save their world from the forces of darkness. _Heh…they sure like me_. Of course, he let his ego slip in a bit. _But then again, who WOULDN'T like me?_ thought Davis as a cocky grin adorned his face.

"Well…if it ain't the goggle boy."

Davis blinked; he knew that voice! He turned around to see a Gazimon looking at him…but this Gazimon had a scar running down the left side of his face. This Gazimon was sort of the unofficial 'leader' of the town's Gazimon. "Hey! You've been reborn!"

Gazimon smirked. "It'll take more than suffocation to do me in. Plus, being a Digimon helps too." You see, during the Emperor's attack on the town, the Gazimon leader had spat at the Emperor. His punishment: death by suffocation. The Emperor had choked him with both hands until lack of air did him in.

Davis smiled. "Good…"

"…hm." Gazimon stared intently into Davis' eyes. "By the way…what brings you here?"

Davis momentarily mumbled before answering, "Well…I just came to think."

That was the truth; Davis had come to think about one thing and one thing only: Yolei's demise. Specifically, her social demise via his next prank. Problem was, he didn't know one. Yet.

Gazimon grinned. "Well follow me…I know the place just for you!"

xxxx

Davis sweatdropped. "Gazimon?"

"Yeah?"

"This is NOT what I had in mind."

The large building the two were in…was a bar. The tables were carved out of yellow stone, and the seats were nothing more than pedestals that rose out of the ground. The bar itself was nothing more than a large indentation in the wall, separated by a four-foot tall wall that had more pedestals sitting in front of it. Wooden shelves had been forcefully shoved into the indentation, serving as a spot for the bottles of wine, sake, and liquor (not only that, but a SkullMeramon was a bartender). Dull yellow lights affixed to the ceiling provided light…and in the far right corner was a wooden stand and a karaoke machine, where a Gorillamon was crooning (badly). Considering it was still early afternoon, only a few Digimon were here.

Gazimon huffily growled, "Nonsense! This is the best place in town to drink!"

**SLAM!**

Davis facefaulted. "I said THINK. Not DRINK."

"…oh." Gazimon shrugged as he walked away. "Oh well. Buy yourself a drink anyway."

**SLAM!**

Another facefault. Davis groaned at the Rookie as the Digimon walked out. _Feh…oh well. I was getting thirsty anyway_. Davis walked up to the bar and sat down on a pedestal. Staring directly into the beady yellow eyes of the bartender, Davis asked, "You have any soda?"

SkullMeramon grunted as he reached for a bottle of dark soda on the counter. At least, Davis presumed it was soda.

"Hee hee hee…well if it isn't a Digidestined."

Davis looked at the source of the voice…and immediately wished he hadn't, as the Digimon he was facing was puny; no more than 3.5 feet tall (the urge to laugh was great indeed). His short, pudgy body was nothing more than an orb with long arms and short legs. His light-tan skin only could be seen around his chubby mouth and lower body, as chain mail covered his limbs. Red cloth fashioned into gloves and shoes covered his appendages. His upper head was covered by a mask of red cloth, tied into a tight knot around the back of his head. Dark gray pads made of metal covered his shoulders, and spikes jutted outward from them. A blue sheath was strapped to his back, and inside that sheath was a razor-sharp katana. Orange eyes stared out from the holes in his mask, staring at Davis with an almost mischievous glint. "Uh…who are you?"

The little Digimon hopped onto a stool next to Davis and said, in a nasally, almost high-pitched voice, "The name's Ninjamon!"

"Uh…hi," muttered Davis out of reply.

Ninjamon smiled as he reached into his left glove, pulling out a bag of coins. "Bartender! This fellow's drinks are on me!" SkullMeramon grunted his acknowledgement by grabbing several coins out of the bag before handing Davis his soda.

The Digidestined's confusion was now replaced by a grin. "Now that's service!" As Davis drank, he didn't notice the evil glint in Ninjamon's eyes.

Now before any of you yell, 'DAVIS! STOP CAVORTING WITH THE ENEMY!', you should note that Davis was never told about what Yolei and Ken went through in their portion of the Puppetmon Games under File Island. He was never told about how Ninjamon and his partner Musyamon had nearly destroyed them. So don't blame him for being clueless on this matter, okay?

Back to the story!

Ninjamon gave the bartender a few coins for a cup of sake before turning to the human sitting next to him. "So…what brings you to this little city?"

Davis exhaled loudly – a sign of contentment – as he downed another gulp of soda. It took a few seconds for him to reply. "Well…I really only came here to think about something. No such luck though."

"Oh. About what?" Ninjamon sneered wickedly as he whispered, "I can keep seeecreeet…"

…_well, he did foot the bill_, thought Davis as he mentally shrugged, figuring 'what the heck can go wrong?'

All I can say is that karma believes in payback.

"Well…I'm trying to figure out a prank to use on another Digidestined named Yolei…but I can't think of one." Davis groaned as he sipped more of his soda.

Yolei.

That was all it took for Ninjamon. Even now, he remembered the name that had been uttered several times underneath File Island. The girl whose partner had defeated him (well, Ken's partner had helped to, but he hadn't fought Dinobeemon face-to-face like he had Shurimon). The partner called Shurimon.

His revenge.

He had been waiting for this moment! Ever since he had been freed of the influence of the Black Gear (due to UmbraDevimon's destruction, of course), he had had only one thing in mind; revenge against Shurimon. Unfortunately, his old partner Musyamon wanted nothing of it; he had wanted a peaceful life.

Oh well. It didn't matter to Ninjamon now.

And now he had a way to get to Shurimon: Davis Inoue.

"Really?" asked Ninjamon. "You seem like a smart guy. I'm sure you've thought at least ONE plan by now."

_Heh. At least SOMEONE thinks I'm smart!_ Davis grinned as he said, "Well…" Then his look of displeasure indicated he had second thoughts. "Nah…you're not fast enough for it to work…"

Ninjamon sneered. "Oh really?" Davis suddenly frowned as he glanced at the Champion-level Digimon…his outline looked like it had just…flickered…

Ninjamon suddenly held up Davis' D-3 and D-Terminal. Davis impulsively yelled, "HEY!"

Ninjamon grinned as he lightly juggled the two items in his hand. "Are you certain I'm not fast enough? I am a master of the shadowy ninjutsu arts…and that alone is enough."

It clicked in Davis' head. His plan…it had seemed impossible before…but now…it could…it could work! "Yes…" It could really work! "You're PERFECT! You could really make it work!"

Ninjamon innocently – seemingly, that is – asked, "You do know that you'll need to take me to the Real World…right?"

"Who cares? You're a nice enough guy!" cheerfully exclaimed Davis.

Ninjamon smiled, even as Davis began explaining his plan. _Excellent…this'll give me free passage into the human world. Then…I'll have him get my two new associates._

So Ninjamon just remained silent as the plan was explained.

xxxx

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:49 PM/

A bright flash.

Davis and Ninjamon appeared out of the computer monitor. Thankfully, the lab was still empty. "Okay…you'll hide out until tomorrow. Make sure no one sees you…I've already told you everything, so it should be covered on your end."

"Crystal."

_Good_, thought Davis. "Now…I've gotta…go…" Davis' voice trailed off as he noticed a missing Ninjamon…and an open window. "Man. He's quick."

Oh well. It didn't matter; he had to get home. And even though he was going to cut out part of his white blanket for the prank…it was going to be worth it.

xxxx

/Rooftop, Odaiba, 11:37 PM/

Ninjamon was in love.

The sheer heights of the buildings…the maze-like layout of the city…the shadows cast by the moon…this was a perfect place for him to exercise his talents as a ninja. _But my duel with Shurimon…it will take place in a special spot. _

But if he were to have that duel occur, he would need to use the boy. As long as he kept the Digidestined child in the dark…he would be in the clear.

_Woosh…_

The movement in the air. It was slim…but Ninjamon heard it. He was being followed. And he could tell even now that his pursuer was a Mega; the power he was sensing was too great. _Hmm…I have to lose him._

Ninjamon quickly dove downward, jumping from wall to wall into an alleyway.

Moments later, the familiar golden Mega known as Vula Tusalamee set down into the alleyway. _Hmm…where did that Digimon go?_ The Elitemon silently cursed as he walked into the alleyway. Rogue Digimon always tended to be troublemakers…so to keep public opinion of Digimon from getting any lower, he was always on the lookout. _Perhaps he took back to the air…_

And just like that, Vula leapt high into the air, bounding off the enclosed alley walls to propel himself upward to the roof.

Ten seconds later, Ninjamon suddenly PHASED out of a trash can's shadow. It was one of his abilities as a ninja. Sweat from his brow soaked onto his head. _That was close. I should return to the school…and hide until morning._

Ninjamon immediately took off for Davis' school.

xxxx

/NEXT DAY/

/Outside, Odaiba School, Odaiba, Saturday, December 3rd, 7:35 AM/

Davis glanced upward at the rooftop. He could barely see Ninjamon glancing down at him. One blink of the eyes later, and the ninja was gone. _Man…it's creepy how he does that._

"What are you looking at Davish?"

Davis looked down at his partner, replying, "Oh, just looking up at the sky. Now, go to the other Digimon on the soccer field, okay?"

"Gotcha Davish!" yipped Veemon as he bounded off to the soccer field. Davis could see that aside from the other Digidestined's partners – and Impmon – there were a few others. There was a Gazimon…a comical-looking ToyAgumon…and much to Davis' shock, a Bakemon. _Huh…I guess even soldiers from Demon's army can turn a leaf._

Davis glanced behind him, staring at Yolei quietly. _Alright Yolei…just you wait…_He readjusted his backpack on his shoulders, which seemed more stuffed than usual.

Since today was a Saturday, school ended at 12:00 PM. As a result, gym class for the students between 5th and 8th grades was pushed back, starting at 11 and ending at 11:45 AM.

The plan began…at 11:45 AM.

xxxx

/Outside Girls' Locker Room, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 11:45 AM/

_**RRRRRIIIIIINNNGGG!**_

Ninjamon dashed from the shadows of the school lockers towards the locker rooms. On the right side was the boys' locker room…and on the left was the girls' locker room.

He heard voices emanate from both lockers…and one minute later, he dashed into the left locker room.

He was like a blur. The locker room was brightly lit…and with all the people in there, it let him pass from shadow to shadow without being detected. It wasn't long before he detected the girl known as Yolei.

Yolei Inoue. Partner to the Digimon that had defeated him.

He momentarily suppressed his anger. The blow to his pride would be corrected soon enough…but first, he had to fulfill his end of the bargain with Davis.

He hung inside Yolei's shadow as she cleansed herself in one of the shower stalls. Although he did not take pleasure in her nakedness, he had to momentarily come out anyway to grab her gym clothes, which were hanging on the stall's towel rack. _I have to make this quick._

In less than a second, he had grabbed her clothes, with Yolei being none the wiser. He was outside the stall in milliseconds, already hiding in some other girl's shadow.

Excellent. Now he needed to get her regular clothes. He had memorized her scent from the battle beneath File Island…she knew which locker her clothes sat in.

He leapt into the shadow of a brown-haired girl who was getting dressed right beside Yolei's locker. Ironically, it was none other than Kari Kamiya. He quickly made his move.

Five seconds later, he was out of the locker room and dashing down the hall.

At that moment, Kari glanced down…and blinked at the sight of Yolei's open locker. Even more confusing was the fact that her clothes were missing. _Huh?_

Moments later, she could hear Yolei yell out of surprise from the showers, drawing the attention of the other girls. "HEY! My gym clothes are gone!"

Ninjamon had been unseen in his dash through the halls, seeing as how the other students were in a classroom…and none of the 5th-8th graders had left the locker rooms…except one, who had been in and out of the locker rooms in thirty seconds.

You guessed it: Davis Inoue.

Meanwhile…

Davis – now in his regular school clothes – stood impatiently in front of the flagpole at the front, his backpack sitting beside his feet. _Hurry up…_

Ninjamon suddenly appeared in front of Davis, holding Yolei's gym clothes and regular clothes in a red knapsack. "Here's what you asked for."

"Good!" exclaimed Davis as he opened his backpack and pulled out a roll of duct tape and a rectangular cutout of his old white blanket. Words had been drawn on it with a black marker. As the Child of Miracles lowered the flag of Japan – a white rectangle with a red sun in the middle – he said, "You'd better make yourself scarce Ninjamon."

Ninjamon didn't hear Davis…because he was already gone.

Three minutes later, Davis was back in the school. The prank had been carried out…now all that was left was for Yolei to see it.

xxxx

/Hallway, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 11:49 AM/

"Alright…whoever took my clothes is going to get it!"

"Calm down Yolei…" reassured Kari.

"CALM DOWN? LOOK WHAT I'M WEARING!" roared the lavender-haired Digidestined. You should know now that due to her missing clothes, she had been forced to wear towels.

Yes. Towels. One around her waist. One around her upper torso. Her right hand was keeping her waist-length towel from falling, as was her left hand doing so for the upper torso's towel. And since her bandana had been taken…her horrific hair was visible as well.

Needless to say, she was ANGRY. And, of course, students from both the girls' and the boys' locker room were following her for three reasons. One: to ask her where her clothes were. Two: to find out what she was going to do next. Three: to laugh or snicker behind her back.

Suddenly, she heard a startled yell from down the hall. It was Tomoe Nira (remember the samurai from the costume contest?), a black-haired girl from Davis, Kari, TK, and Daichi's homeroom. "I found your clothes!"

Everyone followed her…and Yolei felt strangely odd as she walked to the front doors. _I have a bad feeling about this…_

Boy was she right. The moment she looked out the doors, her entire body turned white as a sheet.

Her clothes were taped to the school flagpole, fluttering in the wind. Even her underwear. Right above her clothes and beneath the flag of Japan was a white sheet that had words written on in black, complete with a smiley face.

'**THE PRANKSTER STRIKES AGAIN!'**

Many of the students couldn't help but laugh.

Yolei gritted her teeth...because she knew there was only one person behind this. And she recognized that sheet from her 'brother's' blanket! "Rrr…" Kari wisely stepped back before Mt. Yolei blew her top. Her voice overwhelmed the laughter and silenced them all.

"_**DAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"**_

And in Mrs. Hakashi's class, Davis smiled. Daichi – he was the only one in the room right now besides Davis– stared out the window at the flagpole in shock before turning around to face Davis. "How'd you pull THIS one off?"

"Not telling," replied Davis with a grin.

The Prank War had officially restarted.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 22: Bonding: Momoe

xxxx

Author's Notes: Sorry for the long wait. In a way, I'm sort of grateful my computer broke; this new version of chapter 21's much better.

Now if you'll excuse me, Hurricane Dennis is about to hit. Bye bye!

See you soon, and please review! (dives into his shelter)


	22. Bonding: Momoe

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. (looks at watch) Whoops. Arrived a little late. (readers have become skeletons) O.o;

Author's Notes: Okay. Spent some time trying to regain information for my stories (seeing as how my info database was on my busted Inspiron). Oh well.

To the reviews!

Ninetalesuk: Hurricane's past. I'm good.

Dark Qiviut: Um…I hate to break it to you, but do you really think Yolei won't try and get her clothes off the flagpole before leaving?

Bluesv20: Yes. But not in this story.

Yamimaru: This one's actually quite easy (has been looking up Japanese mythology for info on the Naruto story) The brother is Tsukiyomi, and he is the god of the moon.

ficmaster: I live in the south.

AlphaOmega: Naruto-not-a-fan no jutsu:P

Chibi-Kari: Lucky you. My warranty expired by the time it broke.

Cloud-821: I know my data's safe, but still, it stinks. I'm currently using the laptop I used beforehand; a Compaq Armada M700 that's missing several keys (the 1, 2, 3, P, ;, and keys).

Yami Vizzini: Haven't heard of it, I'm afraid.

duskmon87: CLIFF! (boots him off)

Anthony1: Last chapter was about quality, not quantity. ;)

Sora Potter: Laughter!

Digi fan: If so, then where's my prize?

Dot Cubed: Of course! That's why it has 'Zero 2' in the title. :P

b0bo-the-sword: First of all, welcome! And secondly…what about Star Wars?

Assamite: Okay, let me clarify my point a little. Here's the deal; I'm not saying that terrorism in Britain is a new thing. But there are a couple of reasons I mentioned it.

One; terrorism is not a daily part of life like it is in the Middle East (particularly Israel). After all, what do you usually hear in the news concerning Israel? Aside from talks concerning an attempt at peace, you hear 'BOMBS! SUICIDE ATTACKS! TERRORISTS!' People are uncomfortable with that constant barrage of negativity, so they just tune it out and become apathetic.

Second; Britain is one of the paragons of Western civilization. That's why I think the attack (there was another one on the 21st that didn't go as well as the terrorists had planned, thankfully) should be a wake-up call of sorts. Why? So people can realize that it can STILL happen to anyone…even innocent civilians.

And I'm not saying Christmas in the US is a big commercial deal, but do you know of any Japanese schools performing a play on the Nativity? ;)

And what's so 'HA!' about my 78' GMC? (boots him off a cliff before he can answer)

Crimson G: (points to link below)

www(dot)digibros(dot)net/(tilde)digipedia/

A tilde is the little squiggly line near the upper left corner of the keyboard (look under the Escape key). The Digimon Encyclopedia has a complete encyclopedia on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd seasons of the show (Frontier is being worked on at the moment).

generic reviewer: True, but you have to admit some of their concerns are legitimate. I mean…have you listened to the One Piece intro? It's RAP! **RAP!**

SjKid: Ah! Welcome back!

Silver Warrior: Hmm…(checks pulse) Yeah, I'm alive.

legends sword: Go ahead. Do so at your own risk. ;P

Oh, and just for fun, I've received three anonymous reviews on 'Revision', telling me that 'Kari's eyes are blood-red, not yellow', that 'amber is yellow, not red', and 'people can't be forcefully digi-ported'. The last one is in reference to how Shaun opened a Digiport in episode 6 and stepped away as the Digidestined were swallowed and absorbed by the TV's light. All I can say is this: where do you have the basis for THAT, mister?

And as for Kari's eyes…first of all, amber is technically 'brownish yellow, dark or medium brown yellow, or deep yellow'. And secondly, this is MY story. Who cares if her eyes were different in the anime? I don't care if they were red, brown, blue, white, or polka-dotted; they're amber now. THE AUTHOR HAS SPOKEN!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 22: Bonding: Momoe

xxxx

/Rooftop, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 12:05 PM/

"Davis?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you ask me to fly you home?"

In case you're wondering, Davis was speaking with XVmon. The winged, bipedal dragon blinked curiously at Davis' satisfied grin. "Well…let's just say I wanted to beat Yolei home."

"Aha!" exclaimed XVmon as he snapped his fingers. "A race! I get it now…but wait, did you just cheat by using me to give you a lift?"

Davis sweatdropped. "…uh…ur…" His mind quickly came up with a diverting tactic. "Last one to the store is a rotten Digitamamon!"

XVmon blanched as Davis rushed for the fire escape and clambered down the ladders. "Hey! No fair!" He quickly jumped down into the alleyway, the collision creating a massive _THUD_. He quickly dedigivolved just as Davis got to the bottom of the fire escape. "I'm gonna beatcha Davish!"

"Oh no you don't!" light-heartedly retorted Davis. The two quickly ran around the corner and towards the front doors to the convenience store.

_DING._

The doors opened quickly as Davis and Veemon rushed in simultaneously, vaulting into the air while yelling, "FIRST!"

SLAM.

However, they were too focused on winning that they forgot to land. Thus, faces to the floor. "……"

Subaru, Sasuke, and their current customer Mr. Takenawa (Good ol' Takenawa. Remember him?) sweatdropped at the sight. The elderly man simply slipped Subaru a ten-dollar bill and a five-dollar bill. "That should be enough."

"And you get 4 dollars and 53 cents in change," replied Mrs. Inoue as she handed Mr. Takenawa his change. The old man politely tipped his bowl hat at the co-proprietor before walking towards the doors…and stopping by Davis and Veemon.

Calmly, the old man patted Veemon on the head with his free hand (the right hand held a bag filled with bread, milk, bran cereal, and three Baby Ruth candy bars). The Rookie smiled at the contact, even though it was unexpected. Before he could walk out, Davis stopped him. "Sir?"

"Yes?" asked Mr. Taeknawa, his large eyeglasses reflecting the glare of the store lights.

Davis seriously asked, "Ever since you first saw Demiveemon and Poromon in this store, you've done nothing but treat them nicely and with respect. Considering what happened to Odaiba…why don't you hate them?"

Mr. Takenawa was silent…and then he smiled. "A wise question. I suppose it's an old man's intuition, but I can tell this little one has a good heart, as well as the other one." This time, the old man knelt down and patted Davis on the head. He didn't intend to patronize Davis (although the Child of Miracles sort of resented being patted like he was some sort of a little kid); all he did was say, "I can also tell that you have a good heart as well. That's a good sign. I only hope there will be more like you in the coming generation."

Davis' feelings of being demeaned by the old man's pat on the head vanished. All he felt now was respect. "…" As Mr. Takenawa left, Davis silently mouthed, 'Thanks'.

Suddenly, the back door burst open, startling Sasuke (after all, he was near the back door and was busy wheeling a container of expired beverages out of the store) out of his wits. The one who walked out of the back door was none other than Momoe, eldest daughter of the Inoues. She suddenly found Davis and exclaimed, "Aha!"

Davis stared briefly at the girl…and found himself wondering, like he had done once concerning Mantarou. To be honest, he hadn't hung out a lot with the eldest of the female Inoue daughters (then again, that title might belong to Jun…or did it? How old was Momoe exactly? Davis forgot, much to his annoyance)…and thus was at a blank. He DID know that she had the Inoues legendary temper…but beside that, nothing.

And then Momoe sneezed. She ran a hand through her brown hair and readjusted her glasses before saying, "Mom, dad, I need to borrow Davis for a bit so I can go to Aquacity."

"Sure."

"Go ahead."

Davis blinked out of confusion as Momoe suddenly grabbed him by his shirt's neck collar and pulled him to the back door, through it and into the back hallway before leading him out the convenience store's rear entrance, entering the alleyway.

Veemon blinked as his partner was suddenly whisked away. "Where's she taking Davish?"

"Aquacity," casually replied Subaru as she wiped the counter.

"Oh." Veemon had a thought bubble; he was imagining an underwater city, a la Atlantis.

POP!

Sasuke calmly pulled away the pen he had used to pop the thought bubble. Veemon protested, "HEY!"

"Can't have you cluttering the air," calmly replied Sasuke as he placed a box filled with new beverages near the freezers, preparing to replace the expired ones he had just taken out. "Wanna help?"

Veemon smiled. "Okay!" He quickly grabbed a bottle of grape soda, and then, well…

"**_AHHH!_ YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DRINK IT!"**

"But I thought you wanted me to help you drink it!"

And all the while, Subaru just sighed.

xxxx

"What are you doing?" demanded Davis, his feet straggling across the concrete ground of the alleyway. Suddenly, he was let go, causing him to drop down onto his back. "Ow…"

"Simple. Mantarou's still at the university, so I can't borrow his vehicle, nor can I ask him for help. Chizuru is at Taekwondo practice, Jun and Yolei haven't come home yet, and the parents need to min the store. So you know what that means? YOU have to help me pick up some stuff at Aquacity!"

Davis stared at her blankly. Finally, he asked, "How did you get home?"

Momoe blinked. "Eh?"

"HOW DID YOU GET HOME!" roared Davis out of irritation. "The only reason I got home so fast was because I flew here on XVmon. There was no way you could've gotten here so quickly!"

Momoe suddenly sneezed again. "This answer your question? Got a bit of a cold last yesterday. Cue a fever of 100.1, and I'm out of school for Saturday. Even though I could've gone anyway, but you know mom and dad…"

"…so why are you out here anyway?" muttered Davis out of annoyance. He smelled something fishy here. "If you're sick, then how come you're up and about? And why the heck did your folks let you out anyhow!"

Momoe grinned deviously. "That's the trick…today's Saturday, and now that schools are out now, there's be a major upswing in business. They're so busy trying to keep the place ready for the students' arrival that they get a bit scatter-brained…so I figured if I could say my request vaguely and pick the right opportunity…I'd be free! And so I am."

Davis looked at her with suspicion. "…and I'm supposed to believe this? How do you know they'd be scatterbrained on Saturdays?"

Momoe stared at him, a 'You're joking' look in her eyes (and somewhere, crickets played their tune, even though it was noon in Tokyo for pete's sakes…). Suddenly, Davis felt a bit scatterbrained himself. "Oh. Right. Lived with them all your life." The Child of Miracles mentally smacked himself…but then again, he was a bit wary of female Inoues at the moment (no thanks to Yolei and her stupid powder bomb…why'd she have to restart the Prank War anyway? Stupid girl…), so it was understandable.

Suddenly Momoe reached behind a dumpster and wheeled out…a scooter. To be precise, a white Honda Elite CH80 scooter from 1986. It was old – you could tell that from the scuffed up paint job and some dents near the bottom rims – but you couldn't tell HOW old, because it was in rather excellent condition, considering it was almost twenty years old.

Nevertheless, Davis was unimpressed. "A scooter?"

"Bought by my folks in the 80s'. Used as a personal transportation vehicle for one or two people until they got the Hyundai minivan after Momoe herself had been born. When Mantarou had become 16, he had used his savings to buy a used Toyota pick-up truck. After he got his truck, he passed the scooter down to me…and unlike Mantarou, I don't really need a car." Momoe grabbed the keys out of her pocket and sat down on the black seat. "Hop on and hold on tight."

Davis sighed out of acquiescence. He might as well give in; he didn't really feel like arguing right now. Besides, what harm would it do?

So he got onto the seat behind Momoe and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Well, go ahead."

Momoe smiled as she cranked the ignition and pumped the accelerator. She zoomed out of the alleyway and onto the streets, roving at 45 miles per hour.

"HERE WE GO!" screamed Momoe as the sped past a green light. She giggled happily as the wind whipped her brown hair. "Isn't the speed great?"

"Eh, I guess," yelled Davis over the sound of the blowing wind. Truthfully, this wasn't that fast to him; he could go even faster whilst wearing the Armor of Miracles. This was nothing. "What's the big deal though?"

Momoe smiled as she turned left. In Japan, the lanes were reversed; you moved forward in the left side, whilst cars came toward you on the right side. "Simple; when I feel the wind in my face…it's…well, I can't really describe it. It's like one of the greatest feelings in the world…a feeling of exhilaration that doesn't let up. You know what I'm talking about, right?"

_Well…_ Davis sighed as he thought about his battles with the other Digidestined against the Emperor, UmbraDevimon and his minions, the Demon Corps, and BelialMyotismon. During those times…the rush had been indescribable. Remember those stories where you fought against fairytale monsters? He had LIVED out those stories…and MORE. Fighting against monsters was one thing…but fighting against monsters with the fate of the world at stake? THAT was an adrenaline rush unlike any other.

Davis sighed as he dreaded the coming boredom of shopping with a girl. "Eh…where are we going again? Aquacity?"

"Nope. We're actually going to Decks Tokyo Beach for one reason."

"And that is?"

Momoe smiled as she turned right. "Tokyo Joypolis."

Davis blanched. "The giant arcade? WHA?"

"What? A girl can't have fun?" joked Momoe as she revved the accelerator.

Suddenly, Davis found himself looking forward to spending time with his older 'sister'. _Free trip to the arcade! Sweet!_

xxxx

/Sidewalk, Near Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 12:40 PM/

Inoue grumbled as she stomped alongside Jun towards the Inoue Convenience Store, which was only one block away. Thankfully, she had gotten her clothes down from the flagpole before heading home. Even so, the humiliation had been extreme and complete. "Stupid Davis…STUPID DAVIS…"

"I still can't believe that Davis would break the no-pranking pact!" moaned Jun as she tugged at the edges of her red skirt.

"Who cares?" roared Yolei, her eyes blazing red. "DO YOU REALIZE WHAT HE PUT ME THROUGH?"

Jun nodded as she pulled down on her skirt again. "Of course I know; even the high schoolers managed to catch the sight of you pulling your clothes off the flagpole."

The Child of Caring groaned as she ran a hand across her brow, wiping sweat away. "Feh…makes me wonder why I'm the Child of Caring if Davis keeps doing stuff to make me hate him."

"Ironic, yet true," commented Jun as she kept readjusting her skirt. Yolei glanced at her new sister and asked, "You know something, how come you go to the same school as Momoe, Izzy, Mimi, Sora, Tai, and Matt, yet you wear a different uniform?"

Jun giggled slightly as she rubbed her hair nervously. "Well…that's quite an odd story I must say…"

xxxx

/Flashback/

/Four Years Ago, Odaiba School, Odaiba/

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE MY UNIFORM READY?"

A school official responsible for handing out uniforms at the beginning of each year blanched at the sight of the infuriated 14-year old Jun Motomiya in his face. "Well, uh…you see, there's a bit of a problem. We THOUGHT we ordered exactly the amount of uniforms needed…but since you transferred, well…"

Jun growled out of frustration. "Great…first time transferring to a new school, and I don't even have my uniform ready!"

"The reason this happened is because we changed our design…but we do have a surplus of some of the older uniforms. We could give you that until new uniforms arrive." The meek official quickly stood up and walked into a nearby closet to obtain the uniform.

Jun sighed irritably as she tapped her foot. At least she would be getting a uniform (in fact, the new design was the reason for the new uniforms to be sent out in the first place to all high school students). Minutes later, the man returned with an older uniform. "Here you are ma'am; a uniform set to the specifications in the forms you were given during applying for this s school."

Jun nodded as she held the folded-up uniform in one arm. "Thank you sir." She quickly scampered away, uniform in hand.

/End Flashback/

xxxx

"Now that I think about it, I never got my new uniform," mumbled Jun as she looked down at her uniform. "Guess it slipped my mind."

"And you didn't mind having a different outfit from everyone else in school?" incredulously asked Yolei.

Jun smiled as they neared the convenience store. "At first, yeah…but I guess I didn't care or notice after a while. Besides, I'm graduating this year anyway; no sense on wasting money on a uniform I'll be wearing for six months."

"True," replied Yolei as her thoughts returned to revenge on Davis.

xxxx

/Tokyo Joypolis, Decks Tokyo Beach, Odaiba, 1:05 PM/

Davis blinked as he watched two guys compete against each other on…a typing arcade game featuring dogs. _…LAME._

He walked around, finding several people playing Video Game Blackjack. _…LAME._

He then saw people shouting at toy horses racing around a derby track, since there was betting involved. _…still LAME._

He then saw Momoe beating two drums on the **_Taiko no Tatsujin_** arcade game (think Donkey Konga). _…sort of fun, but not quite there yet_. He kept searching for the game he felt like playing.

_Hmm…what to play, what to play…_

You know, he seemed awfully indecisive considering that the arcade he was in spanned three floors. But oh well.

Suddenly, it caught his eye. "Alright! F-Zero AX!" Davis quickly jumped into the game's cockpit, buckled in, and plunked his quarters in.

Minutes later, Davis stumbled out of the cockpit, his eyes swirly out of sheer sensory overload. One thing could be said about F-Zero AX, it knew speed.

"Well…that was fun." Davis stood up and brushed himself off before walking further into the arcade. _Perhaps I'll try a VR game…perhaps the Crypt? Or maybe Aqua-Nova…?_

He suddenly noticed a large crowd gathered around the DDR machines. The Child of Miracles could already make out the large nose, black hair, and narrow gray eyes of Tomoe Kaziwashi, local DDR champ. _That is until Shaun kicked his sorry butt._

Shaun.

Davis sighed as he remembered how Shaun had beaten Tomoe quite handily at his own game. And to be honest…it had been quite a sight (it had also been particularly sweet for Tai, who had been humiliated after losing in his challenge to Tomoe).

The song suddenly ended, and Tomoe gasped as he fell down to his knees. The crowd slowly moved away, no longer interested now that he had stopped. Davis took this opportunity to move in; oddly Tomoe had been playing alone.

The DDR champ guzzled down some water from his black bottle before glancing at the figure approaching him…and blinked. "You…"

Davis blinked in return. "Me?"

"I remember you. You came into the arcade a couple of months ago with that superkid…the first one to beat me since I became the local champ." Tomoe chuckled as he stood. "Are his skills still sharp? I'd like a rematch with him."

A twinge of pain crossed Davis' face. "…I'm afraid you'll never be able to settle the score. He died…in the Odaiba War."

Tomoe's face fell, his cocky smirk being replaced by a disappointed frown. "Oh…I see. Well…that certainly bites." The DDR champ chuckled as he gazed around at the bustling arcade goers. "And I was really looking forward to challenging him on **Dead End**…the very same song he beat me on the last time we met."

Davis resisted the urge to scowl; even now, the only memories Shaun brought back were painful ones. Despite any good times the Child of Wisdom had shared with the others…the sheer weight of his mission and his death continued to weigh on him. "…" Davis smiled slightly to try and sugarcoat the situation. "Well…it's not like you would've won anyway. After all, he trounced you handily…and he did with all those bells and whistles added."

"You mean 8x speed and invisible arrows?"

"Yeah," replied Davis. "I mean, that's gotta be tough!"

"Only if you use your eyes," countered Tomoe as he stretched his limbs. "He played against me with his eyes closed. That tells me that he knew that song by heart…and although it says 8x speed, the beat of the rhythm remains the same. I've been working nonstop to get that good…and I finally beat that song with the same settings. Course', doesn't matter anymore, now does it?"

Remorse filled Davis' soul. His head sagged slightly as he muttered, "Sorry."

"Don't be," replied Kaziwashi as he ran a hand through his long, spiky hair. "I certainly don't regret facing that guy…but I wished I would've been in one last dance-off. Oh well…can't be changed."

"Tomoe, shall we go?"

Davis and Tomoe both turned their heads to the ground…and Davis paled.

A small, robotic creature no more than 2 feet tall stood before them. His body was short and stocky, made of nothing more than a metallic gray cylinder. Four segmented legs sprouted from the body, each forming one dark gray foot (oddly enough, each foot had a fleshy pink appendage). He also possessed two long, segmented arms, completed with five-fingered hands. The fingers themselves were also segmented, capable of splitting apart on their own for various reasons. The body was split in the middle by a line, allowing jagged teeth to come through. His right eyes was yellow mechanical optic sensor…whilst the metal over his left eye was torn off, revealing a normal red eye. Finally, a clear dome of glass covered the gears, electronics, and cybernetic components of his 'brain'. The Digimon…was Datamon, an Ultimate level. And in his arms…were a bunch of tickets.

Tomoe whistled. "Dang. The games have been treating you well."

"When you have the ability to merge your programming with electronic constructs, manipulating the code to perform to your specifications are quite simple," replied Datamon with a factual tone.

Tomoe and Davis blinked out of bewilderment.

Datamon sweatdropped as he sighed. "In layman's terms, I can kick butt. Now, shall we go?"

"Sure, why not." Tomoe walked away before glancing back at Davis. "It seemed odd at first…but a partner's not THAT bad of a deal. Hope you get one of your own."

As Tomoe and Datamon walked away, Davis smiled. _Heh. Already have one._

"Davis!"

Davis turned around to see Momoe walking towards him. She kindly asked, "So…how do you feel?"

"…well, pretty good, considering." And that was true; the sight of Tomoe Kaziwashi having a partner cheered him up from the self-inflicted doldrums.

Momoe smiled. "Great!" Then she sneezed. "That makes this whole – sniff – trip worth it!"

Davis blinked…and then gasped. "You mean…you got out of the house just so I could have a good time?"

"That's the gist of it." Momoe smiled…before she sneezed again, sniffling all the while. "Ooh…perhaps we should head home now."

_No kidding_, thought Davis as he helped the sick Momoe out of the arcade.

xxxx

/Road, Odaiba, 1:46 PM/

"So you only left the house just so I could feel better?" asked Davis incredulously.

"Yup," replied Momoe. Both of them were now back on the scooter, heading back at a slow pace to the Inoue Apartment. "ACHOO!" Another sneeze.

Davis' mind was boggling. Cheering up? He didn't need any cheering up! "I didn't need any cheering up! I was happy as it was!"

"Now THAT is a fib," sarcastically replied Momoe as the lights turned green, allowing her to move forward. "You see Davis, I know you're still hurting on the inside because of what happened to your original parents. I know you're still trying to adjust to life as an Inoue…but don't forget that we're also family now."

"…" The Child of Miracles sighed. "But it still doesn't explain your willingness to just visit the arcade."

At this Momoe smiled. "Well…even though I got into my fair share of sibling scuffles and rivalries when I was growing up…now I try to make everyone in my family as happy as possible. It sounds silly…but it works."

At this, Davis Inoue couldn't help but smile. So committed to making her family members happy…even though she was sick. _Heh…now I know why she's best friends with Jun._

Because Momoe was, without a doubt, the most friendly member of the Inoues thus far.

Momoe slowed the scooter to a stop in front of the store. "I'm going to go park it," muttered the eldest Inoue daughter as Davis got off. Momoe slowly drove into the alleyway as Davis walked into the convenience store. He felt like taking a nap to recharge his body; he was bushed.

_DING._

Davis ignored Veemon and Poromon's greeting. He ignored the casual 'hellos' of Jun, Subaru, and Sasuke. He just calmly walked upstairs into the apartment and toward his room. Man…I feel so bushed. Must be feeling the effects of putting my prank into action…

He pulled his door open and walked into get onto his bed-

_Thwip._

Davis tripped on a piece of wire that had been strung across the door. He suddenly felt a moment of freefall as he fell face-first to the floor. He barely had time to open his mouth before he slammed into the floor.

_**BAM!**_

Davis groaned as he stood up…and much to his shock, he couldn't see. Huh? He tried to see…and suddenly realized a sticky substance was gluing a piece of paper on his face.

Davis' face was now coated with flypaper. On the back were the words 'The Prankster Just Got Served!'

He didn't need to be told Yolei was behind it.

_Hmph…this is a tame prank Yolei. I'll strike back before you know it!_ Davis shakily stood up, grinning behind the flypaper. _Just you wait!_

He just had to deal with the flypaper first.

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 23: The Prankster Strikes Back

xxxx

Author's Notes: Blegh. I hate writer's block. Momoe was a hard person to write about.

Oh well. MORE PRANKS!

See you soon, and please review!


	23. The Prankster Strikes Back

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own the Digital Monsters TV show.

Author's Notes: BLERGH. Late updates! They BUUUUUUUURN!

But anyhow, I'VE GOT A JOB! (does a dance)

To the reviews!

Bluesv20: Laughter ensues. :P

duskmon87: You gave more than one review per chapter. Thus I kicked you off a cliff. :P

Dark Qiviut: Heh. These pranks will be a tad more…complex.

Ninetalesuk: Survival of the funniest!

Cloud-821: Eh, it was hard to make a Momoe-centered chapter, so I focused it on some other characters as well.

Anthony1: It was hard to write about Momoe; because in my timeline, she's basically Jun with the female Inoue temper built in (not like the show had a comprehensive model of her character). As for chapters left, there are about five or so left.

Ficmaster: Oh, he'll pull of SOMETHING all right… ;)

Yamimaru: (blinks at the sight of the Digiegg) …okay…

Sora Potter: Three chapters from now, it'll be over.

Crimson G: The 'thugs' will have their own role to play in a later tale.

simply just being: Welcome to Housemates!

Dot Cubed: Actually the bucket would've been redundant. The flypaper has a nasty side-effect. ;)

MajinMewtwo: Hey, it made him a memorable character. Also, Mr. Bishop will reappear in a later tale.

Digi fan: KIDS NEXT DOOR! BATTLE STATIONS!

Yami Vizzini: Takenawa will have his own unique twist…

Silver Warrior: But before Yolei comes…THE PARENTS!

SamuraiSirius: Welcome SS! I caught your review of Revision.

As for your 'opposites-attract' comment, that's quite true. Never thought of it like that…and I have to say there will NOT be a World Tour a la Season 02. (boots you twice off a cliff)

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 23: The Prankster Strikes Back

xxxx

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, Monday, December 5th, 12:03 PM/

Kari had learned a while ago that whenever Yolei grinned mischievously, it meant she had exacted revenge upon someone.

Given the recent string of pranks being inflicted between her and Davis, it was most likely that she had just exacted vengeance upon the Child of Miracles.

Question was, how?

Kari Kamiya thought in silence as she bit into her blueberry bagel; the others were watching as their partners competed against each other in a soccer game.

It was Agumon, Gabumon, Biyomon, Palmon, Gomamon, and Tentomon versus Veemon, Armadillomon, Hawkmon, Patamon, Gatomon, and Impmon (he had been forced to join, lest he suffer the wrath of a Gatomon mauling).

Daichi chuckled as Impmon cursed out Gabumon, who had kicked the soccer battle at his head. In response, Gatomon kicked him upside the head. "Well, this isn't your average soccer game…"

"Not in the least," commented Cody as he sipped some apple juice.

Yolei nodded as she glanced around her…and she suddenly snorted and laughed, nearly choking on her food. Davis was walking towards the group, looking generally ticked off to no end.

TK turned around, managing to get out, "Hey Dav-" His voice died in his throat. The moment he saw Davis, he burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"PUT A SOCK IN IT TF," growled Davis as stood above the others, not bothering to take a seat.

Kari frowned as she turned to face Davis. "What's the big…deal…?" The Child of Light couldn't believe what she was seeing.

DAVIS' EYEBROWS WERE **GONE**.

Seriously; there was nothing there but skin (shows you what happens when you pull flypaper off your face). His lack of eyebrows just made his scowl look so…hilarious…and…she couldn't…hold it…

"…hu hu hu…HA HA HA!" Kari giggled helplessly, joining TK and Yolei in their mirthful laughter. By this time, Daichi and Cody had noticed Davis. The former was laughing his butt off. The latter lightly smiled.

Davis' eyebrow twitched…wait. He didn't have an eyebrow. His SKIN twitched…no, that doesn't sound good either. Bleh. Just read. "Not helping guys…"

"Sorry man…it's just so frickin' funny to see you without any brows," muttered Daichi as he wiped a tear from his eye. "What happened?"

Davis pointed a finger at Yolei.

The Child of Caring shrugged. "Revenge dear boy. You PUT MY CLOTHES UP FOR DISPLAY ON THE SCHOOL FLAG!"

"Eh, you got em' down," grumbled Davis. In the background, Palmon yelped as Agumon accidentally set her on fire; then again, he tended to get a bit serious when playing soccer. How was he supposed to fight down the impulse to use his Pepper Breath?

Cody sighed as he rubbed his temples. "I thought you two had stopped the pranking…"

Yolei irritably muttered, "Not my fault Davis started it up again."

"THAT'S A LIE!" roared Davis. "YOU started it up again!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Not!"

"To!"

"Not!"

"To!"

"Jerk!"

"Idiot!"

"Dipwad!"

"Uglyface!"

"I'M NOT UGLY!"

"Sure coulda fooled me!"

"**RAAAAARGH!"** roared both Davis and Yolei as they started wailing on each other, somehow creating a comical 'cartoon dust cloud'.

TK and Cody sighed as Daichi and Kari tried to pull Davis and Yolei apart. The Child of Hope asked, "Do you think they'll ever quit?"

"Probably not," replied the Child of Humility.

Suddenly, a shout caught their attention. "HEADS UP!"

Everyone impulsively looked at the source of the voice-

**SLAM!**

Yolei yelped as a soccer ball slammed into her head, sending her to the ground with a thud. Her eyes spun as the soccer ball rolled away. A bashful Veemon chirped, "Sorry." _Maybe I shouldn't have used my V-Headbutt._

Meanwhile, a pained moan escaped Yolei's mouth. _Even his partner hit me in the head with a ball…_ Well, at least Veemon had apologized, unlike Davis.

Davis (after getting a quick snicker, of course) sat down and quietly ate at his lunch, contemplating his revenge upon Yolei Inoue. _If you thought the Prankster was done…then you're dead wrong._

He just needed an idea…

Then, it suddenly struck. _Bingo!_ A mischievous smile came to his face; his next prank would require some more help…but it would be worth it.

xxxx

/Computer Lab, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:54 PM/

Davis stared quietly at the computer; the computer lab was utterly empty. Veemon wasn't with him; he was watching Tai's soccer game with the others. Normally, Davis wouldn't miss a game of Tai's for anything…

But he had something big in mind.

He accessed the Digital World Grid Map on the computer the Digidestined always used, and selected File Island. "Digiport open!"

One flash later, and he was gone.

xxxx

Throughout the next few days, Davis kept going to File Island…

Why?

No one knows…

But the fruits of his labors will be revealed tonight.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Saturdaty, December 10th, 10:01 PM/

Yolei Inoue sighed as she rubbed her neck, staring outside her window. The sky was dark, and the stars were out in full force. "Such a nice night…"

"You sound upset Yolei," chirped Poromon as he snuggled into one of the pillows.

Yolei shrugged as she got into bed, her room as silent as it was dark (and it was quite dark, due to turned off lights). "Eh…I guess it's Davis."

"Did you prank him again?"

"No," pointedly said the Child of Caring. "It's just that Davis has been visiting the Digital World all this week, going there for at least an hour after school. I know he's up to something…I KNOW it!"

Poromon shrugged. "What if he just likes to visit?"

"Without taking his partner?"

Poromon didn't have a comeback for that.

Yolei just sighed as she got under her covers. "I'll just sleep…I'm too tired anyways…good night Poromon."

"Good night Yolei."

Within moments, the two were asleep.

But one hour later, Davis Inoue snuck in…wearing the Armor of Miracles. He had been planning this all week. He knew it by heart now.

He quietly snuck over to Yolei's computer and turned on the monitor. _Good. She didn't turn her computer off._ Then again, Yolei usually only turned off the monitor before sleeping; she didn't like to go through the three-minute start-up every time she turned her computer on.

He opened a small folder under the 'My Documents' shortcut on the desktop; the folder was titled 'DWGM'. Inside the folder were all the files necessary for using the Digital World Grid Map.

Now hold on! Since when did Yolei's computer have the Grid Map?

Well, Davis had thought this plan out very carefully. To utilize it, he would need to access the Digital World from Yolei's computer. So what did he do? Grab a blank CD from the computer lab's storage closet, copy the Digital World Grid Map and all necessary files onto it, and then paste the files onto Yolei's computer. _Heh. And she thought I was a dipwad._

That was a little pet peeve Davis had; over his life, a lot of people had underestimated his intelligence. So what if he had bad grades in math? Math was boring! He might not have had good grades, but he wasn't stupid. Occasionally lacking in common sense, yes. But not stupid.

_Okay. File Island…_ Davis stepped away as he slowly picked up Yolei's bed, putting his strength to good use. He gently shifted it closer to the bed, trying not to jar Yolei OR Poromon into awakening. Finally, he gently set the two down in front of the computer. He grabbed Yolei's D-3, put it on her bed, and grabbed the foot of the bed while aiming his own D-3 at the monitor.

"Digiport open."

Although the words came out as a whisper, the light was just as bright as always.

Davis smiled as his physical being shifted and transformed into data during the passage through the Digiport; after dropping Yolei off, he would get to work filling out the rest of his plan.

When the flash faded, Davis – and the bed Yolei and Poromon slept on – were gone.

xxxx

Morning.

Yolei's face twitched as she felt a slight breeze run across her face. _Ah…the wind feels good…_

Wait.

Yolei's eyes opened. There shouldn't have been any wind in her room.

The moment she sat up, she saw why.

She saw nothing but the sky and clouds. Feeling a sense of apprehension, she gazed over the side of her bed…and shrieked.

Poromon yelped as the shriek awoke him. "AH! WHO! WHAT! WHERE! WHEN!"

Her bed…was sitting on the very peak of Infinity Mountain…and it was barely wide enough to hold her bed. Her mind was racing; most of its processing ability was focused on dealing with her sudden panic of being precariously perched on a mountaintop. _How…how…?_

Then it clicked.

Her fear gave way to anger.

"_**DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" **_

Meanwhile, in Primary Village, Elecmon's ears pricked. _Huh. I thought I heard a scream._

Suddenly…

"WAAAAAH!"

Elecmon paled at the sound of a crying Punimon. Moments later, the rest of the Baby Digimon were awoken by the crying, and thus THEY cried. _Aw man! They weren't supposed to wake up for another hour!_

xxxx

/Outside Cave, File Island, Sunday, December 11th, 6:09 AM/

Yolei remained silent as her partner set her down outside a familiar cave. "Okay…I remember that a digiport was right inside this cave. Now…mind going to get my bed?"

"Of course not Yolei," replied Silphymon, the Ultimate form of Hawkmon. The bipedal birdman took to the air and sped off toward the top of Infinity Mountain. Meanwhile, the Child of Caring leaned against the rim of the cave's mouth, teeth chattering; a red T-shirt was not warm enough for the cooler weather of morning. _Davis…I am going to get you for this…_

This time, Yolei had a good reason to be angry. This 'prank' had been dangerous. She could've lost her life. What if she had rolled off the edge and fallen down the mountainside? She intended to have a good talking-to with her 'brother'…and she would make sure to include a few knuckle sandwiches with that talking-to…

Sniff. Sniff-sniff.

Yolei blinked; why did she smell smoke? And why was it suddenly getting hotter?

She looked down…and paled at the sight of her red shirt being eaten by fire from the bottom rim down. "AIIIIIE!" She burst off towards the nearby stream, her mind screaming _'PUT THE FLAME OUT! PUT THE FLAME OUT!'_

Meanwhile, a certain fire Digimon known as Meramon poked his head out from a nearby bush, a grin on his face. _There. That should do it._

With his task complete, the Champion Digimon happily walked away and went about eating his Twinkie, only one of a whole box that Davis had given him in return for putting the girl's shirt on fire.

Minutes later, a very irate Yolei Inoue stomped back towards the cave. Why was she irate?

Well, for one, her entire shirt now consisted of nothing more than a burnt rag, clenched angrily in her hands. As a result – yes, you guessed right – she was now wearing nothing more than a bra and underwear.

Secondly, she had doused the fire by jumping into a stream. Due to the fact she wore such scanty clothing, she was now wet and freezing.

Yolei grumbled as she walked back to the cave quietly, her face etched into a deep, enraged scowl. _I live to kill Davis, I live to kill Davis, I live to kill Davis-WHOA!_

**SMACK.**

The Child of Caring groaned as she tripped over a small rock and fell onto the ground, the dew on the grass making her even MORE wet. She irritably stood up, rubbing her head. _Great…without my glasses, it's hard to see!_

Well, she did have ONE thing to be positive about: her hair. Although it was still far too short, her lavender hair was already growing back; no more spots were visible. As a matter of fact, the hair was mostly uniform now, looking a bit like Chizuru's hairstyle. _Thank goodness I have quick-growing hair._ At this rate, her hair would be at a shoulder-length within two weeks or so. Another month and it would be back to normal.

The Child of Caring found herself back at the cave. "Good…"

"Yolei!"

She glanced up to see Silphymon set down, bed held above his head. The Ultimate blinked at the sight of his partner. "…where are your clothes?"

"My shirt was suddenly set on fire, and I had to jump in a stream."

Silphymon sweatdropped. "…okay…" He calmly walked into the cave, with Yolei leading the way. The Child of Caring grabbed her D-3 from on her bed before aiming it for the TV. "Okay Silphymon…Digiport open!"

As the TV erupted with light, Silphymon blinked as he was pushed away. Yolei also blinked as someone unclipped her bra, startling her. "What the-?"

She was gone in moments.

When the light faded, Silphymon blinked; he put the bed down and stared at the one who had pushed him aside. "You."

Davis Inoue grinned as he floated in the air, a smile on his face. "Yo." _Let's just hope this works as well as I hoped it would…_

xxxx

/Ken's Room, Ichijouji Apartment, Tamachi, 6:45 AM/

Ken sighed as he walked into his room, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. _Ah…that was a good shower._

He glanced up at the top bunk to see that Minomon was still sleeping. _I'll let him sleep a little longer…_ As for why the Child of Kindness was up this early, he had soccer practice. After all, tomorrow afternoon had a big game in store.

The dark-haired, purple-eyed boy reached into his dresser drawers and pulled out his soccer uniform. "Okay…" He quietly pulled the towel off and reached for his underwear-

A bright lash of light.

"Hmm?" Ken impulsively turned around to see someone appear out of his computer monitor. Astonishingly, it was Yolei Inoue.

Without her glasses.

In only her underwear.

With no bra on.

Yolei blinked as she stared at Ken. Ken blinked as he stared at Yolei.

Finally, redness erupted from Yolei's face out of sheer embarrassment. "EEEK!" She whirled around and yelled, "DIGIPORT OPEN!"

Ken Ichijouji, his face as red as a tomato, remained silent as he watched Yolei Inoue be swallowed by the Digiport's light.

He said nothing for several seconds.

Finally, he silently put his pajamas back on, slipped under his bed sheets, and turned to face the wall. His face – aside from the redness – showed no emotion. His thoughts, however, went something like this.

_Only a dream, only a dream, only a dream, only a dream, only a dream…_

xxxx

/Cave, File Island, 6:46 AM/

Yolei immediately scooped up her bra the moment she exited the Digiport, hurryingly clipping it back on. The blush had refused to leave her face as she looked up, seeing Davis Inoue floating in the air. To his credit though, he was facing the other way. "So. How'd it go?"

"HOW. DID. YOU. DO. THAT?" growled Yolei out of pure anger.

Davis smiled as he kept from looking at Yolei. "Well, I actually had Gennai program this Digiport to send whoever entered it to Ken's computer after I brought you here. It wasn't easy getting him to do it, I'll tell you that!"

xxxx

/Flashback/

"Checkmate."

"Am Idone yet?"

"Sorry. Fifty more chess games, boy!"

"Urgh…"

/End Flashback/

xxxx

Yolei's teeth gritted, "YOU…HOW DARE YOU…?"

"What's the matter? I thought that the embarrassment of appearing in Ken's room would be enough for you…unless…" Davis gaped as he connected the dots. "He was awake…"

Yolei's begrudgingly admitted, "Yeah…"

Davis suddenly blinked out of remembrance. "He sent an e-mail to all of us a few days ago…telling about a soccer game tomorrow…which meant that today would be a practice day…" It clicked. "He was getting dressed."

Yolei only mumbled, "Yeah…" The redness on her face continued to grow.

"And you were standing there."

"Yeah…"

"In your underwear."

"Yeah…"

"With your boobies showing."

Yolei's silence said it all.

Davis suddenly erupted into full-scale laughter. "**_BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!_** Oh man…that turned out better than I ever imagined! **_HAHAHAHAHA!_**"

"You keep laughing, and I'll make sure your funeral takes place in a volcano," grumbled Yolei as she glared angrily at the Child of Miracles. **"NOW GET ME HOME! **I still have to get you back for leaving me on top of the mountain..."

Davis smiled as he light-heartedly spun in the air, giddy with excitement over how badly he had pranked Yolei. "Just think about the computer in your room, and your digivice will take you there. Simple as that!" He stretched his arms before adding, "Besides...I was watching you all night, making sure you wouldn't fall off. I may like pranking you...but I'm not stupid."

Yolei irritably grumbled as she turned to face Silphymon. "Let's go Silphymon." To be honest, she was too angry AND embarrassed to try and maul Davis at the moment; after all, she had witnessed Ken's rather buff bod…and he had been naked! NAKED! "Digiport open!"

One bright flash of light later, and the Child of Caring and her partner were gone.

Davis smiled as he finally fell to the ground, bawling with laughter. "Oh man…that was priceless…"

Too bad for Yolei. Especially seeing as how there was one more prank for her.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 6:52 AM/

Yolei and Silphymon suddenly appeared in a very familiar place. The Child of Caring sighed out of relief. "Finally…my room…"

That's when her noise recoiled. _WHAT IS THAT SMELL?_ It smelled like…feces…and sewage.

"Uh…Yolei?" muttered Silphymon. "Look down."

That's when she finally noticed the dozen Digimon sitting on her floor, a pile of pink poop sitting behind them. The Digimon…were Numemon.

The twelve sewer-dwelling Digimon chirped, "Hi!"

Yolei and Silphymon stared silently at them.

Moments later…

"**GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!** DIGIPORT OPEN!"

The Numemon yelped as they were sent packing for the Digiport (which was fine by them; in return for making a mess on Yolei's carpet, they would all get a free trip to Little Edo in 01-111-NU, and they had sewers up the wazoo!). Yolei panted heavily out of exasperation; she had had enough for one day! And she hadn't even been up for an hour yet!

Suddenly, her nose twitched. "Eew…"

As Silpymon set down the bed in its proper place – and dedigivolved to Hawkmon – he stared at the large mound of pink poop. "Eck…what are we going to do about this Yolei?"

Yolei had her idea within moments.

What neither of them had realized was the fact that one of the Numemon had managed to elude them…sneak out of Yolei's window…slither down to the alley below…and slip under a manhole cover.

xxxx

The Numemon smiled as he slid down into Odaiba's sewer system. This was wonderful! The tunnels were so much larger than those back on File Island…and he doubted that the sewage was as plentiful in Little Edo as it was here!

As the little green Champion slurped at pasty green sewage, he traveled further downward into the water system. "I wonder what secrets these sewers hold?"

Finally, he noticed a layer of fog shrouding one tunnel.

"Huh. That's weird." The Numemon squinted as he tried to see what was in the fog…and when he did, he paled. "AH!" He slithered away-

_SHICK!_

The Numemon gagged as a rotting greenish-brown tentacle ripped into his body, pulling him back into the foggy tunnel. Not a sound was heard.

Until a sick, distorted chuckle was heard…followed by a demonic whisper.

"_**Yes…join us in death…when the time comes…we shall all rise…"**_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 24: Bonding: The Parents

xxxx

Author's Notes: Haven't forgotten about the Gravemon. But no, the Mind won't make his move just yet. Not in this story anyway.

And as for the pranks…well, Davis is quite the little mischief-maker, eh?

See you soon, and please review!


	24. Bonding: The Parents

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Author's Notes: Yo. Apologies for the late update; real life and school calls, however. Plus, there's the whole deal with Katrina (I live in the Deep South, but since I live on a high hill in a log cabin, the only real threat was tornadoes and falling trees. Thankfully none hit).

What makes me sick would be the politicizing of it so frickin' soon. I mean, I hear charges of Bush being a RACIST. Let's not forget that Bush has more minority members on his Cabinet than any other president in history. The whole evacuation plan was flawed…but to hear these charges of racism is just SHAMEFUL. If the media wants to politicize this situation, can't they wait, oh I don't know, MORE THAN A DAY OR TWO!

Gah…just venting some frustration. All this blaming is only detracting efforts from actual aid.

In other news…I don't know if you'll find this weird or not, but I've planned out everything for the other stories in the Zero 2 series. With the exception of some details in three stories (ODs, Past Journeys, and a secret fic I'm not gonna tell you about), I've planned almost all of it out…including the series' final battle.

And this timeline is spread out over (not including Revision and Housemates) ten stories. Does anyone else find this weird?

One last thing: today's September 11th. If you see a member of the armed forces or a simple policemen or a fire fighter, give em' a salute.

To the reviews!

Anthony1: Have to! The parents are Inoues too. :P

Dark Qiviut: Concerning your NDE request…well, that's a toughy. But seriously, no can do; I deleted them from my hard drive the moment I removed them from FFnet. All I can say is that…well, ask Anthony1. He read them before. Ask him for his opinion.

duskmon87: Nope. If you remember, it showed in Revision how the Mind survived Demon's attack, albeit as a seed…a seed that's been growing…

Ninetalesuk: I saw. :P

Sora Potter: Both, actually. Davis is by default the Child of Miracles…so he's special to begin with. Heck, take episode 31 of Revision (Humility); Davis and (Wargreymon) had been zapped by the same energy field protecting Cody's crest. Davis suffered less damage than a Mega…and that was BEFORE the Crest.

However, the Crest of Miracles is more like…a key. A key to greater powers that lay within the Child of Miracles and the Digiworld itself (hence the revival of the other Crests and DNA Digivolution).

But get this…Davis' powers haven't been fully explored yet. ;)

JyouraKoumi: Out. Now. Your petty flames aren't worth the text I'm using to reply to you with.

Cloud-821: You'll be surprised. ;)

Silver Warrior: Simple. She can't.

Bluesv20: I started school recently too. ;.;

Crimson G: You'll be surprised by that too. ;)

Purgatory: Ha! Funny. XD

Dot Cubed: Your laughter amuses me. :P

SamuraiSirius: Well, I DID need a counter to all the humor.

Ficmaster: I hope so too.

Digi fan: You forgot? SHAME ON YOU! (thwap)

Yamimaru: (blinks)

Yami Vizzini: Eh, I always planned for this story to last around 26 chapters.

As for Yolei's breast size, well let's be realistic; she's 13. Most females have rounded out SOMEWHAT by then. I mean, it's obvious that Digimon was more kid-oriented than other animes…I mean, practically every single female (save for LadyDevimon or Angewomon) was a flat chest. INCLUDING MIMI, WHO WORE TIGHT SHIRTS. I'm just being realistic. Besides, puberty's about growing! And when every single adult female in Tokyo has a breast size of nothing, then there's something wrong. Either that, or the water's been laced with somethin' fierce. :P

askhim: Thank'ee, and welcome!

SjKid: QUICK! Stab your side to death before it kills you:O

blazing fury: Welcome to Housemates!

One more thing; I just realized I've posted a total of over 1,000,000 words on FFNet as of my last update. A NEW PERSONAL RECORD!

And another thing; this chapter pushes Housemates over the 100,000 word plateau. YAYNESS!

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 24: Bonding: The Parents

xxxx

/Warehouse #7, Tokyo Bay, 8:39 AM/

A bright light emanated from the old computer terminal.

Moments later, a certain Davis Inoue, sans Armor of Miracles, appeared. He set foot on the cold, hard floor, looking around. _No goons…looks like Saito cleared out after we thrashed his gang._ He glanced upward; the hole in the roof made by XVmon was still there. No surprise though; considering how early it had happened, he wondered if anyone knew it existed.

Davis sighed as he stretched his arms; it had taken him awhile to get to sector 01-111-NU with all the Numemon (thanks to his enhanced strength, he had just carried all of them there on a platform of rock). It had been part of his deal to get them to help him out; to take them to Little Edo, where the sewers were plentiful! Davis sweatdropped at the thought._ Well…someone's trash is a Numemon's treasure, I suppose._

The Child of Miracles calmly walked out of the warehouse, feeling the cool breeze of the December air. He felt a slight chill; after all, underneath the Armor of Miracles, he had been wearing nothing more than a white T-shirt, blue shorts, white socks, and sneakers (and, of course, his goggles). _Heh…it'll be snowing soon. I wonder how good Veemon will do in a snowball fight…_

Thoughts as these accompanied Davis as he walked the sidewalks of Odaiba. Since it was Sunday, there was no school…so he decided to simply have a nice day.

As Davis Inoue walked through Odaiba, he took note of the sudden chill in the air. A frown crossed his face; he should've brought a coat with him. Still, the thought of December being here was a charge; soon, there'd be holidays and days off from school! _Yeah…relaxation!_ It was kind of hard to believe that the winter holidays were coming so soon.

_So soon…_

Davis frowned as he suddenly stopped, staring up into a slightly cloudy morning sky, ignoring the people that walked by him. His brown eyes gazed quietly at the clouds; they were spread out and separated. Much like his thoughts were now.

_Man…it's only been four months since the school year started._ Not even that. Yet, what Davis was thinking about wasn't school…but the Digital World. His time as a Digidestined.

Within the span of around four months, Davis had risen to the call of being a Child of Destiny, so that he would protect the Digital World from evil and darkness. He, along with the others, had experienced so much…so much more than the older Digidestined had, and in a shorter time frame. Plus, there was the fact that their enemies…had been ruthless beyond imagination.

Davis looked around, taking in the sights around him. He slowly began to recall what the scenery had looked like little more than one month ago, during the Odaiba War. He looked to his left, seeing a row of office towers, one of which belonged to a bank.

All of those had been leveled, and the tendrils of the Gravemon had been slithering through their ruins.

He looked to his right, seeing a large park, lined with lush green grass and barren cherry blossom trees.

The park had been a big smolder, torched to ashes by a blast of Demon's fiery Demon Inferno attack.

He looked ahead of him, at the next intersection. Cars were at a standstill, waiting for pedestrians to move across the streets.

BelialMyotismon had stood in that very intersection, lording over the defiant Digimon partners of the Digidestined.

Davis sighed as walked into the park, sitting down at the nearest bench. His eyes drifted to the pale, early morning sky once more. _It's weird…all that chaos…all of the devastation…gone, as if it had never happened…_

But it had happened. He had fought in that war, as had many other people. Despite what the Guardian God and the Guardian Beasts had done to resurrect the city, there had been one aspect that they, despite all their power, could not touch.

Humanity. The soul of a human, the spirit that makes a human…well, human.

To revive such a complex and powerful thing…that was beyond the Guardians. As such, even though there had been practically no physical damage to hint that the war had even occurred…the emotional damage still existed in the form of lost lives.

Shaun Kamiya, the Child of Wisdom. Cody's grandfather, Daniel Hida. Men and women of the Odaiba faction of Tokyo's police force, fighting against invading Digimon. The countless members of Odaiba's populace.

His parents…Anzu and Hiroto…

Davis sighed as he looked down at his feet. The elation he had felt from pranking Yolei was gone now, replaced by pangs of sadness. _Man, what a mood breaker…_

"You look down."

"_WHAAA!_" yelped Davis as he leapt off of the bench, his heart rate increasing dramatically. He looked to see the source of the voice; a person that had sat down beside him on the bench without him noticing.

Kari.

Davis' fright was immediately replaced by a surprised smile. "Kari? What are you doing here?"

"Felt like taking a walk." Due to the rather cold weather, Kari wore appropriate clothing; pink sweatpants and a white sweater over her yellow T-shirt. "Rather chilly for that kind of clothing, don't you think?"

Davis cockily boasted, "Eh, I'm not that cold." The Child of Miracles quickly sat back on the bench, trying his hardest not to blush in front of Kari. _Man, she caught me with my defenses down!_ For the moment, his sorrow was forgotten.

Kari stared at him with amber eyes, asking, "So…why do you look so sad?"

_Spoke too soon_, thought Davis with a dull expression. "Well…look around."

Kari did so. "And?"

"Well…it's just I was thinking about how everything was destroyed due to the invasion." Davis stared at Kari, a serious look on his face. "And how everything seems just fine."

Kari nodded out of acknowledgment. "Oh…I see. But…seeing as how you're so down, it's not fine."

Davis smiled slightly. "Bingo…I'm talking about all the human lives lost that weren't brought back. Lives that couldn't be brought back. I mean, restoring Odaiba was good and all…but it almost makes you wonder…if they could've restored human life if they tried." There was silence in the air for a few moments; the only sound breaking the quiet being chirping birds or the beeps of car horns.

"They did what they could."

Davis glanced into Kari's eyes as she spoke. "I know that everyone lost something during that horrible war…but the Guardians did what they could to help us in our time of need. They rebuilt Odaiba using their power…and even if they couldn't resurrect the dead, they still helped. All we could do from then on…was to move on with our lives."

Davis remained silent as Kari Kamiya ran a hand through her hair before continuing. "Sometimes, I think about it…and it hurts to think about all of the dead. But as the Prophet of Reality said in his speech: what has happened, has happened."

"Eh, I guess you're right," replied Davis with a small smile, the image of the sky reflecting off of goggles' lenses. "Still hurts to think about it though."

Kari nodded. "I know…but it's bad to dwell on bad things that happened in the past. It'll only hurt in the long run. Trust me; Tai has plenty experience with that."

Davis lightly smirked at Kari's unintentional joke. "Heh…guess you're right." Funny; no matter how things went, Kari was ALWAYS able to cheer him up. Always. Then again, she WAS the Child of Light.

"Speaking of 'heh'…Yolei sent a message to everyone's D-Terminal."

Davis blinked. "And…?"

"She told us about the pranks from earlier this morning."

Davis felt a smile coming on. He suppressed it. "And…?"

"That was really mean what you did to her."

That did it. Davis couldn't help but smirk. "Eh, I call it 'venting'. Venting my frustration over her restarting the prank war."

Kari Kamiya sighed out of exasperation; she wondered why she even bothered trying to mediate the intense rivalry between Davis and Yolei. "Still doesn't erase the fact that she's going to have your head…" Still…Yolei had described the pranks rather well. Kari couldn't help but smile either. "…those WERE clever pranks…if a little underhanded. Especially sending her to Ken's room."

"Now I did NOT know Ken was dressing for soccer practice when I sent Yolei," defensively replied Davis. "I thought he would still be sleeping!"

Kari Kamiya merely sighed as she stood up, slightly shivering at the touch of the wind upon her face, like tiny little fingers. "Just be careful around Yolei though." With a coy smirk on her face, she added, "I'd hate to have to tell Tai he needed to pick a new successor to the goggles; cause if Yolei has her way with you, the goggles will be the only thing left."

"Hahahaha!" laughed Davis at Kari's joke. "Will do."

As the Child of Light walked away, she stopped. "Davis."

"Yeah?"

The demure girl turned around, offering a smile as bright as her namesake. "Don't get too down. Sadness doesn't fit you." Then she turned around, continuing her morning walk.

Davis Inoue smiled warmly, his spirits lifted by his best friend's words. _Kari…you've still got it._

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 11:54 AM/

_DING._

Davis calmly walked through the front doors of the Inoue Convenience Store, taking note of Mantarou at the front counter, Momoe continuously restocking shelves, and of course…

"Welcome to the Inoue Convenience Store!"

"Please take your time, and take what you need!"

…Demiveemon and Poromon, performing the store's slogan. Davis smiled as he walked by his partner, who immediately yipped out of glee. "Davish! Where were you for breakfast?"

"Out doing something. What WAS for breakfast anyway?" Not that he was hungry; he had gotten a bowl of soba with soy sauce in Little Edo after dropping off the Numemon (it had been a treat on the house, much to Davis' surprise. Probably because of his Digidestined membership.).

Mantarou grumbled, "Mom's miso soup…but there was a bit of a problem…"

xxxx

/Flashback/

"DEMIVEEMON! POROMON! GET OUT OF THE SOUP POT!"

"Uh oh Demiveemon! We've been spotted!"

"Running time!"

/End Flashback/

xxxx

"So we ended up having cereal instead." Mantarou glared at the In-Trainings. They could only sweatdrop and chuckle nervously in response.

Davis sweatdropped. _Same ol', same ol'._ The Child of Miracles calmly walked towards the back door when he saw Jun walk out, wearing jeans and a long-sleeved green shirt. "Where you going?"

"Going to go ahead and see Chizuru's Taekwondo practice, then take a nice walk," replied the smiling girl as she walked toward the front doors. "See you all later!"

_DING._

As Jun walked out, Davis asked, "Chizuru has Taekwondo practice today?"

"Yep," replied Momoe as she finished placing boxes of green tea packets on the shelves. "I'd advise you steer clear of Yolei though…she's maaaaaaaad."

Davis couldn't help but smirk. _So she told everyone._ As he walked toward the back door, he glanced back in time to see Mantarou give him a thumbs-up. _At least SOMEONE appreciates my work._

The Digidestined boy quietly advanced up the stairs, his mind already wondering what to do for the rest of the day. TV, or Halo? TV. Halo. TV. Halo. TV. Halo. _Ergh…can't choose!_

"Davis."

Davis Inoue suddenly paused. He glanced to his right into the living room. The couch and the chair had been rearranged.

Subaru and Sasuke were both sitting on the couch. The former had been the one to speak. "Please have a seat."

Davis blinked. "…wha?"

"NOW," rumbled Sasuke, trying to (purposefully) sound as menacing as he could.

Seeing as how Davis was in the chair less than a second later, you could say he pulled off quite the tone. Subaru calmly said, "It's time we had a little talk."

_Oh man…they're upset because of the prank I pulled on Yolei!_ This wasn't good; he hadn't anticipated this! _Aw man…not good, not good, not good!_

"Davis…how's life been so far here?" asked Subaru.

Davis panic immediately deflated. "Eh?"

Sasuke chuckled. "Don't act so silly! We're talking about YOU. You've been here for over a whole month now! We want to ask you how things are going for you!"

…_this is it?_ Davis had a HUGE mental sigh of relief. _Man…I thought I was going to get toasted!_ "Well…thing's have been okay."

Subaru smirked. "Okay, eh? That all?"

Davis frowned at Subaru's sarcasm. "Well what do you want me to say?"

"Whatever comes to the top of your head!" replied Sasuke with a smile.

"Oh…okay." Davis blinked as he tried to think. Already the conversation had thrown him off; talks with parents were NEVER supposed to be so light-hearted. "Well…I have to say, it was kinda hard getting used to so many siblings." 'Kinda' was an understatement to the Nth degree.

After all, when he had first joined the Inoue family with Jun, his reaction had been one of revulsion and horror. After all, Yolei was his sister now! There had also been a lot of resentment…probably due to the fact it was so soon after his life as a Motomiya ended (remember his little outburst in chapter 3?). But after some time had passed…he had gotten used to it. Plus, everyone was around all the time; something that had almost NEVER happened in the Motomiya family.

"I can imagine," commented Sasuke. "Before, it was just Jun. Now your sibling number's quintupled from 1 to 5."

"…yeah." Davis rubbed his neck as he spoke. "I'd have to say…getting along with Mantarou was a lot easier than the others. Probably cause he's a guy." Not to mention the fact that his older brother – funny how he thought of it so casually now – had been so understanding of his frustration. That, and Halo had helped.

Sasuke nodded, a grin on his face. "True. I have to say, it's nice that the male-female ratio in this family is no longer so lousy."

**POW!**

"I'll ignore that grievous insult for now honey," cheerfully said Subaru as Sasuke's twitching body laid quietly on the floor.

Davis sweatdropped, one again wondering why female Inoues were always so temperamental. _No wonder Jun got along so easily; she's got the Inoue personality down pat: sweet, yet with teeth to match._ "Anyway…Chizuru was a little creepy at first; I mean, she didn't seem like an Inoue."

Subaru nodded out of concurrence. "Yeah, she sort of became the odd duck out of the females after she began taking Taekwondo classes. Even so, it was a really big help whenever a sibling spat got too heated."

_No kidding_, thought Davis as he thought back to how handily Chizuru had dealt with Saito's thugs. "But I saw her practice one day…I guess I admired how much she devoted herself to her training." That too had been an understatement; the Child of Miracles had been downright impressed by how Chizuru had dedicated herself. All those years of training…all because of some thugs and punks...and she had done itwith her family's safety in mind. That had been enough for Davis.

Plus, she had kicked butt. A lot of it. That was worth a lot of points in his book!

Sasuke smiled at Davis' words. "Yeah…Chizuru's a tough girl all right."

"Now as for Momoe," said Davis, continuing on. "Well, she's just plain nice. That's all there is to it." That much was true; after all, she had taken him to an arcade, even when she had been sick!

"Momoe's become quite the nice one as she grew older," commented Subaru with a thoughtful smile. "But anyway…what do you think of Yolei?"

Davis' (still non-existent) eyebrow twitched. _The she-beast._ THAT was probably the only black mark on his time here: Yolei Inoue, the Child of Caring (pfft! Yeah right! Stupid uglyface.), fellow Digidestined, and all-around pain in the butt. "Well…THAT'S a good question…"

Subaru and Sasuke could barely hold in their grins at the sight of Davis' irritated disposition.

Finally, the Child of Miracles said, "Well…I just can't understand her at all. For one thing, her personality has the tendency to 'switch'. One moment, she can be as scary as a demon from the underworld…"

_Interesting choice of words_, thought Sasuke with a suppressed chuckle.

"…however, she is capable of acting nice and sweet like most other girls. Usually around Ken, or anyone else who's not me." Davis frowned as he thought some more about how Yolei and he always seemed to get into a spat of sorts. _Feh. Who cares._

Sasuke asked, "So…enlighten us as to why you and Yolei get into so many 'spats' as you put it. It's been a topic of great discussin between me and my wife."

"Hmm…" Davis' frown deepened as he cupped a hand around his chin. "Well…I have to say that I'm not quite sure. It could've been our first meeting or whatever, but we just don't mesh well together. Now…I will admit, I'm not exactly the smartest guy around." Davis momentarily quashed his ego so that he could say this; it was important to him. "Sure, Yolei tends to get all huffy whenever I react impulsively or do something stupid…but I have one thing that counts more than smarts."

"And what would that be?" asked Subaru, a twinkle in her orange eyes.

A devil-may-care grin crossed Davis' face as he said, "I've got gut instinct. It's never lead me wrong before…and since I'm the Digidestined's leader, that's gotta count for something!"

Sasuke had a good laugh at Davis' words. "Boy oh boy! Yolei was right; you ARE boastful!"

"HEY!"

"But then again…" continued Sasuke, his grin widening. "In this case, it's not bad when it happens that the stuff you're boasting is pure gold."

Davis blinked; he had been caught off guard again. A satisfied smirk came to his lips before he said, "Anyway, Yolei and I just don't get along that well. I don't think we ever will. I mean, sure, we're friends…but I think it's impossible for us to truly get along." All of a sudden, the boy irritably crossed his arms. "But in my defense, I gotta say that she's also too easy to pick on; after all, she does it to me! It's always been a case of reacting to everything we both do in some way or another!"

"Hence the 'Prank War'," quipped Sasuke.

"Bingo," agreed Davis. "It was a way for us to vent our aggression…and every time we were pranked, we would always respond with a prank that was bigger and better than before! And before you say anything about me restarting the prank war after the last family intervention, I just want to say that it's all Yolei's fault."

Subaru replied, "You mean the smoke bomb? Yolei denied it."

Davis huffily crossed his arms. "She just doesn't want to admit it."

"Despite all that, the pranks you've done recently are just a TAD bit over the line," replied Mrs. Inoue.

Her husband added, "Make two miles over the line. Although I will say, the clothes on the flagpole was a pretty good one."

**_SMACK!_**

"Not helping honey," sweetly replied Subaru as her husband's body sat twitching on the floor once more. Davis sweatdropped again.

Davis finally said, "Well, I don't regret any of it. If anything, she had it coming."

Subaru said nothing. After several seconds, she finally replied, "Back to the main topic…what do you think overall of being an Inoue?"

Silence. Davis thought seriously over this question. On one hand, since everyone worked in the convenience store, everyone was always nearby. No parents working late hours…an older brother that he could actually look up to…and a more stable environment, to be completely honest. I mean, the way everyone treated him, it had been as if he had been an Inoue his entire life!

But on the other hand…

"I like it…" Davis raised his head, staring at Mr. and Mrs. Inoue with a serious look in his brown eyes. "…but I have to say, I prefer being a Motomiya more." After saying that, Davis finally understood what this whole talk was about. Like it's been said before; he may not be an intellectual…but that didn't mean he was stupid. "And although I admire what you guys are trying to do…but nothing will make me prefer being an Inoue more than a Motomiya. Nothing you do can make me replace my parents with you."

Instead of getting looks of surprise like Davis expected – after all, he had just figured out the angle behind their talk – the two remained silent. Finally, Sasuke asked, "Mind telling us why?"

"Because…I AM a Motomiya." That was the honest truth; the blood of the Motomiyas was in him, just as it was in Jun. "Just because I'm part of a different family now, doesn't mean I'm still not who I once was. Sure, mom and dad weren't always around like you guys were…and sure, Jun and I had a bit of a rivalry as well…but in the few times we shared together…those were among the best in my life." A sigh escaped his lips as he remembered those fun times…and he was beginning to fell nostalgic…and sad. After all, moments like those would never come again. "I may be Davis Inoue now…but deep down, I always will be Davis Motomiya. Nothing will change that. Sorry if I disappointed you…but nothing you do will make me replace my parents with you."

More silence. Davis grimaced as he stared at his feet; although he had said the truth (and he didn't regret), he felt just a tad bit rotten for putting them down like that.

Oh, how wrong he was.

"We know that."

Davis blinked as his head jolted upwards, staring at Sasuke and Subaru out of shock. The latter had been the one who had spoken. "We know we can't replace your parents. We aren't even going to try."

"…you're not?" muttered Davis out of utter surprise; he had supposedly figured out the angle behind their talk…but he had been dead wrong. This had caught him off guard.

Sasuke stood up and said, "A family is a precious thing…and we know that your heart is the heart of a Motomiya, not an Inoue. We respect that; as a matter of fact, we ENCOURAGE it. We can't replace the Motomiyas…all we can do is substitute in their stead." Even Sasuke knew how to be serious when it counted.

Subaru stood as well, a warm smile etched on her features. "All we can do is try to do our best in their stead. We're not trying to replace them, because we never will…but I will say that we'll try our best to make sure you're happy. That's really all we can do." To round it off, Subaru hugged the Digidestined boy, his head resting on her shoulders.

Davis Inoue, to be completely honest, was unprepared. The initial sadness over remembering his life as a Motomiya had had his confusion over the real reason behind Subaru and Sasuke's talk with him added to it. This resulted in his emotional barriers being down.

As a result, in the face of the truly heartwarming words he was experiencing…

Davis clenched his teeth as his eyes began to water. "Darn it…don't cry…"

Sasuke chuckled as he rubbed Davis' hair with his large hand. "Don't worry Davis," said the man as his brown eyes brimmed with joy. "Nothing wrong with crying when you're happy."

Davis grimaced. That was the clincher. Despite the lack of sobbing or hiccups, the tears slowly flowed from his eyes.

Suddenly, Sasuke said, "HOWEVER…"

Davis suddenly felt a pang of fear hit him. HARD. _…this can't be good…_

"Seeing as how you've gone a bit overboard with the pranks, we've decided to do something unusually drastic." Sasuke's standard 'goofy' tone was back in full force…but what was about to happen next was anything BUT goofy. "Oh YOLEI!"

Moments later, Yolei stomped out of the kitchen, a pitcher in her hand…and an evil glint in her eyes. Apparently, she hadn't heard any part of the parents' speech; otherwise, she might've been a bit more merciful.

Davis fearfully asked, "What's in that pitcher…?"

Subaru cheerfully said, "While we were talking, Yolei was in there making a whole pitcher of Torture-Cola. It's against our principles to teach the whole recipe to a child…but this case was a special one."

"SPECIAL INDEED!" roared Yolei as she charged for Davis. _"PRANK ME WILL YOU?_ **_THEN DRINK TO YOUR SUCCESS!"_**

Davis could only yelp as Yolei shoved the opening to the pitcher into his mouth, pouring the foul Torture-Cola down his throat.

Moments later, the effects of the foul, torturous soda were felt. Rushing to the bathroom ensued.

Yolei grinned. "That should teach him."

"Remember Yolei; no more pranks after this, okay?" ordered Subaru. She meant it; although pranks in general were harmless, the pranks Davis had going were far from harmless.

The Child of Caring nodded with a smile. "Understood mom!"

Meanwhile, Sasuke could only grin as Davis shut the bathroom door behind him. _He's a good kid…good indeed._

xxxx

/Rooftop, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:49 PM/

"Blegh…my stomach still hurts…"

Davis Inoue could only groan as he sat on the rooftop, wearing nothing but a white shirt and white shorts. Everyone else was asleep; he had gotten up earlier to just gaze out at the city. So he had just clambered out the window and up the fire escape.

The boy sighed as he stared at the myriad of glass and lights that made up the twinkling skyline of Odaiba; tonight was quite beautiful.

And to be honest, Subaru and Sasuke had surprised him. They were far more understanding than he had given them credit for. At the thought of it, the Digidestined smiled; parents that were capable of understanding teenagers. Who would've thought?

"Hee hee hee…hello again."

Davis suddenly whirled around, getting to his feet…and blinked as he saw who was standing on the rooftop with him. "You again."

The orange eyes of Ninjamon stared at him in the darkness of night. A tiny, devilish hint flickered in those irises before the Champion spoke. "I helped you…now I need you to help me."

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 25: The Return of the Prankster

xxxx

Author's Notes: Title's a bit different than initially advertised, but yeah.

As you might have guessed, Davis gets the last laugh…but what can he do to follow up his previous prank?

Tune in…as we move closer towards the climax of Housemates…for the 27th chapter…is the final chapter of this story.

See you soon, and please review!


	25. The Return of the Prankster

Standard Disclaimer: MUST YOU CONTINUALLY ASK ME WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW? I DON'T OWN DIGIMON!

Author's Notes: Yarg. Only three chapters left until Housemates ends. I must say, it feels like I've been working on this story longer than I really have; I started it on the 18th of February (although it was removed due to the original chapter 10, thus forcing me to upload it again on the 30th of March). Only a little more than seven months. Feels a lot longer than that. o.o

Anyhow, at my current rate, Housemates should end in the month of October.

And FYI, the second Tamers movie 'Runaway Locomon' (originally titled Runaway Digimon Express) will air 3-PM/2 Central on Sunday, October 2nd. Every Sunday after that, another Digimon movie will be airing (the final two Digimon movies 'Adventurer's Battle' and 'Revival of the Ancient Digimon'). Can you say 'yay'?

To the reviews!

Cloud-821: Yep. After this fic is 'Battle of the Shinobi'.

Dark Qiviut: Yeah. I utterly despise blame being placed where it doesn't belong. On a story-related note, I do like using ellipses, aka '…' Why? Because to me, it shows characters drawing out a sentence for dramatic purposes. For instance, in dialogue, it represents a few moments of silence before continuing on.

As for JyouraKoumi…he doesn't get into my head. He only proves how petty he is with his worthless flames. You don't need to fear any of his ilk getting into my head (look at my reply to him further down). And since you reviewed twice… (boots you off a cliff)

And yes, I watched Naruto. And I liked it. :P

Chibi-Kari: Never forget. (www(dot)valdezlink(dot)com/media-hi/sunrise(dot)jpg)

Yamimaru: I decline your challenge. I have other plans for Zero 2. Come the final chapter of Housemates, I'll reveal the next three stories in the timeline.

blazing fury: (chuckles) The final story in the timeline actually takes place in Zero 2's future…and that's all I'll say. ;)

Crimson G: Later? What about Now? I WANT MY CANDY!

Sora Potter: Nope. :P

Dot Cubed: …Ninjamon helped Davis with the 'clothes on the flagpole' prank, remember? He's the one who actually swiped Yolei's clothes from the locker room, silly. :P

Anthony1: Battle of the Shinobi.

Bluesv20: I only said 'Deep South'. Doesn't necessarily mean Florida.

Digi fan: Read and find out!

JyouraKoumi: Yes. I like Mimato. Is that a problem?

Yami Vizzini: (laughs) I was just being frank.

Ficmaster: Patience, boy.

Flame Extinguisher: Thanks a bunch. (tosses him a gold coin)

simply just being: Trust me, this is the LAST PRANK WAR CHAPTER. Okay?

Silver Warrior: Most likely.

SamuraiSirius: Not telling. My location is a secret; should I reveal it, FFnet assassins would track me down and kill me. :P

miss.free.style: Yes, Davis did. And as for Davis' talk…what was so 'un-Davis' about it?

David,the brother of Davis: Ooh. MUFFINS! (snarfchompgulp) Welcome, by the way. ;P

duskmon87: Simple; work on the sequel. :P

Crest of Water: You flatter me too much. However, I'm glad to see that you're warmer to the idea of Daikari and Davis now. :D

And no, I don't mind long reviews.

krb one: Welcome! This is the last chapter for the pranks…wait. You haven't read Revision? o.o

Hurry person! You must read the prequel to this story!

american idiot 101: Welcome to Zero 2!

Ninetalesuk: You're welcome.

(**WARNING**: Some would consider the final scene at the end of this chapter to be rated 'T'. You have been warned.)

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 25: The Return of the Prankster

xxxx

/Rooftop, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:51 PM/

Davis' brown eyes widened slightly at the sight of the ninja Digimon standing before him. "…what do you need help with?"

Ninjamon smiled inwardly. He had already gotten on the foolish human's good side by helping him out with that inane prank against Yolei eight days ago. Hopefully, he would be able to dupe him again. "Well…it's actually more of a favor."

"Eh? What do you mean?" asked Davis, his curiosity piqued. The nighttime breeze suddenly picked up in strength as the seconds ticked by.

Ninjamon smiled calmly. "I'd like for you to open a Digiport to sector 01-100-CHI. Two friends of mine are there…and they're intrigued about the Real World. They'd like to come."

Davis was silent for a moment.

Then he answered, "I don't know…I mean, how do I know you're a pretty good guy and all, but I don't if your friends are evil Digimon in disguise or flesh-eating monsters or something like that."

Ninjamon sweatdropped. _…so he is not as foolish as I thought._ Very well; he would sweeten the deal. "Oh, they're good guys all right…but if need be, I can do another favor for you. I could prank the girl again for you."

"Nah. I'm done with the pranks for now." After replying, though, Davis sported a rather annoyed scowl. _Though I'd like to get her back for putting that Torture-Cola in my system._

Ninjamon's eye twitched; he could tell that by Davis' facial expressions that he was NOT done with pranking the lavender-haired partner of Shurimon. _Well…I can make him agree quite easily._ "What if I told you that one of my friends can prank Yolei in such a way that it won't be traced back to you…and that the prank will be all of her own doing?"

Davis tried his hardest not to respond. The idea was SO tempting…after all, the flagpole prank had been linked to him (despite the fact no one saw him aside from Ninjamon)…then again, he had left his trademark hanging on the flagpole. "…alright. Since you're an okay guy, I'll bring your two buddies over…but no pranks. Okay?"

"Understood," replied Ninjamon with a slight smirk. Even so, he still intended to get a battle with Shurimon underway; he had done quite a bit of investigating in the past week…and now he had an idea that would guarantee a battle with Shurimon. "Where's the nearest computer?"

Davis suddenly grimaced. "Oh yeah…it's in Yolei's room." _Gah…I can't open a Digiport with her in there!_

Ninjamon calmly smiled. "Don't worry…I can assure you that no one will know. No one at all…"

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 11:00 PM/

Yolei Inoue slept soundly, a small, satisfied smile on her face.

Poromon slept soundly as well, his tiny, pink form slowly changing in size and rhythm with his breathing.

All was dark, save for the little light on her computer that indicated it was on. The monitor was dark.

Suddenly, Yolei's door opened slowly…and two shadows rushed in.

In less than a second, the two shadows had their fingers stuffed into the ears of the two sleepyheads.

Davis and Ninjamon looked in moments later. "Wow," whispered Davis. "Those Shadow Clones of yours are cool."

"It's SHADOW IMAGE," corrected Ninjamon as he quietly walked over to the computer. A third Shadow Image stood guard outside of Yolei's room.

"Whatever," muttered Davis as he flicked the monitor on and activated the Digital World Grid Map. "What sector did you want?"

"Sector 01-100-CHI."

Davis selected the sector and held his blue D-3 to the screen. "Okay…Digiport open."

Light erupted from the monitor as Davis and Ninjamon stepped back. The two Shadow Images remained silent as they kept any and all sound from reaching the ears of Yolei and Poromon. The Child of Miracles frowned, wondering how long it would take for the two Digimon to arrive. The Champion merely smiled; things were going according to plan.

Suddenly, the light faded as two figures quietly set foot on the carpet. As the light from the Digiport faded, Davis managed to get a look at them due to the dim light of the monitor.

The one on the left was easily as tall as he was; and unlike Ninjamon, he was all limbs, little body. His skin was a light-yellow color, and his large arms and legs were thick and muscular. The body, however, was no more than a little tiny orb with a face; by all logical means, it was only a head. He wore a green bodysuit, with the cuffs of the uniform ending at the ankles and wrists. White tape was wrapped around his fists: done for the purpose of support. He wore wooden sandals with black straps; enlarged for his particularly hefty feet. Finally, holes were cut in the body suit to reveal his blue eyes and toothy mouth. His voice was gruff and deep. "I am Taijamon, master of the physical taijutsu arts."

The one the right was smaller; only about as large as Ninjamon. His entire body was covered by a black bodysuit that covered him from head-to-toe. As if that weren't enough, he also wore a blue cape, complete with a hood that covered his eyes. His eyes were little more than red dots; his face was hidden in darkness (in a way, he resembled Digitamamon's in that regard). His hands and feet were both covered by black leather gloves and shoes, respectively, and his voice was whispery in nature. "Genjamon. Master of the illusionary genjutsu arts."

Davis blinked as the Ninjamon turned the monitor off before speaking. "You see Digidestined? They are sort of like my training buddies…they both compliment my own ninjutsu arts…and before I explain my plan to you, I'd like you to see something."

The third Shadow Image – the one that had been standing guard outside Yolei's room – suddenly went into Davis and Mantarou's room. Moments later, it walked out, a white plastic bag over its head.

Davis blinked as a sudden smell entered his nostrils. _EGH! WHAT IS THAT?_ He grabbed the bag, taking note of a note (heh, that rhymed) taped to the side. "I can't read it…"

"Mind's Flame," muttered Genjamon as he held his thumb up high; a small blue fire flickered into existence on it. Not bothering to ask how Genjamon did that, Davis read the note.

xxxx

_Dear Davis,_

_Remember the Numemon you left in my room? These are their droppings that I spent most of my morning cleaning up. By the time you read this, I'll be back in bed. I may have violated Mom and Dad's no-pranking rule…but I had to get in the last word._

_Don't get any ideas._

_Your oh-so loving sister, Yolei_

xxxx

Davis growled; the sarcasm was just OOZING off of 'oh-so loving'. _You…YOLEI…_

It suddenly occurred to him; Ninjamon had just saved him from a prank. Davis couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the athletic Champion. Silently placing the bag on the floor, the Digidestined boy said, "Alright. Take this trash out, and I'll agree to the prank. I'll be at my school at 7:30 tomorrow morning. Tell me your plan then…I've got vengeance to extract."

Ninjamon smiled as Taijamon grabbed the bag of pink feces. "Don't worry…we won't disappoint." Suddenly Genjamon muttered, "Teleportation."

At that, the trio of ninjas disappeared. The Shadow Images dissipated moments later. Without wasting another second, Davis crept back to his bed…wondering inwardly what Ninjamon had in store.

xxxx

/Rooftop, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 11:09 PM/

As the three Digimon reappeared on the rooftops, Genjamon fell to his knees. The Teleportation move required a lot of energy on his part, and it taxed his mental energy considerably. "I certainly hope the lengths you're going to…in order to guarantee the battle…are worth it."

"They are," replied Ninjamon with a haughty grin. "I have to say that the girl's rivalry with the boy is making it easy to dupe him into doing our bidding…by tomorrow morning, our fight with Shurimon will be assured."

Taijamon snorted. "This can't be worth all the trouble for one fight. So what if he beat you?"

"This opponent is…unique. Like us, he is also trained in the ninja arts…and I suspect he has a large repertoire of moves. I have reason to believe he knows not only ninjutsu…but taijutsu and genjutsu as well. The ultimate ninja…after all," The ninjutsu user glanced at his allies. "That is why I so eagerly made an alliance with you two, is it not?"

Taijamon grunted. Genjamon merely said, "Just enlighten us as to this 'plan' you're going to unveil to the boy. We put our trust in you to set things up on this end for our arrival…so the least you could do is tell us."

"Oh, but of course," remarked Ninjamon with a smirk. He spent the next several minutes detailing his plan and why it would work.

In the end, the other two Champions were in agreement; the plan was poised for success.

"In the meantime, let us go into hiding." As Ninjamon spoke, he cautiously gazed around him, keeping his senses open. "There's a Mega-level Elitemon that patrols this city…and I wouldn't advise running into him."

Taijamon and Genjamon nodded before disappearing with Ninjamon into the night.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Kitchen, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Monday, December 12th, 7:05 AM/

Davis yawned silently as he slowly walked into the kitchen, wearing his clothes for the day. Seeing as how it was getting colder, he had to dress accordingly: blue jeans, a white shirt, and a dark blue jacket. Of course, he had his standard goggles, and his backpack was slung over his shoulders. Veemon was right by his side.

Meanwhile, Yolei was sitting at the table, busy eating through her scrambled eggs (with Poromon eating his own bowl of cereal). She still wore a large T-shirt – this time in a pure red color – from the previous night, as she had yet to get dressed.

Davis shot her a glare.

Yolei merely smiled innocently, as if saying, 'Ha ha, you can't do anything.' And Davis knew it.

_Feh. We'll see who laughs last Yolei_, thought Davis with a frown as he grabbed four breakfast bars out of the pantry, handing three to Veemon. "I'm gone," muttered Davis as he walked downstairs through the convenience store.

Subaru and Sasuke – the latter in the throes of restocking the dreaded 24-pack soda shelves – both replied, "So long."

And with that said, Davis was out on the street, walking towards school. As Veemon immediately gobbled the three breakfast bars (nearly forgetting to take the wrappers off in the process), the Child of Miracles found himself wondering what exactly the trio of ninja Digimon had in store for Yolei.

xxxx

/Outside Odaiba School, Odaiba, 7:29 AM/

As Davis stood quietly under a barren tree, his (STILL non-existent) eyebrow twitched. _WHERE ARE THEY?_

He had been waiting outside of the school for the past three minutes. Just by looking over at the soccer field (where Veemon was right now), he could tell that all of the other Digidestined – save for Yolei (and Joe and Ken, but they went to different schools) – had already arrived. Even Daichi had already gotten here (as evidenced by Impmon's rather unhealthy beating at the hands of an irate Gatomon, who had gotten little sleep last night due to Tai's snoring. Impmon should've learned by now not to make puns about cats when Gatomon was around).

But the trio of ninjas weren't.

Davis Inoue grimaced. _Darn it…I want to get this plan done with before Yolei gets here!_

7:30

"Greetings."

"WAH!" yelped Davis as he glanced upward, seeing Ninjamon, Taijamon, and Genjamon standing upon the branches. "How the, but, wha!"

Ninjamon smiled. "Never underestimate the ninja."

Davis just sighed as he rubbed the back of his head. "You guys took long enough though…"

Taijamon grumbled, "We came at 7:30…as requested."

Davis sweatdropped. "Oh yeah…heh heh…"

"Enough of the chit chat," interrupted Ninjamon. "Before I tell you of this plan, I have to ask you one thing…is there a certain someone that Yolei has a crush on?"

Davis blinked at the sudden question. _Crush on? Well…let me think._ Only one person came to mind: Ken Ichijouji, the Child of Kindness. "Ken Ichijouji."

Ninjamon blinked out of mock surprise. "Is that so? My…I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the target of her affections is a fellow Digidestined…that only makes things easier!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Davis out of curiosity and slight frustration. He wanted to know the plan, and now!

"Well you see, being a slight fan of the Digidestined, I took it upon myself to find out what they do for hobbies. It was during this pursuit that I had discovered Ken Ichijouji plays soccer…and he has a game today." Ninjamon smiled inwardly; he had already rehearsed this whole act. The plan had been laid down long before yesterday; he had found out about Ken's game four days ago. To be blunt, when he wanted something, he WANTED it. He remembered Ken's face from the battle underneath File Island…and seeing as how the boy was a celebrity (although why the populace named him 'The Rocket' was beyond him…), it had been easy to find out where he lived…and where he went to school. After that, he had unearthed the fact that he played soccer. After that, the plan had been set in stone.

All that had been left was to get the details down with Taijamon and Genjamon…and he had done that quickly last night. They knew their parts.

Davis snorted. "Well? Tell me this special plan of yours!"

Ninjamon smiled. "I will."

He took a few minutes to talk. As the Digimon spoke, people who were passing by were wondering why Davis was talking to a tree; unbeknownst to them (and Davis), Genjamon had already cast an illusion upon themselves, making them appear invisible. However, to make it so that Davis could see them, there was a 'distance limit' to the illusion; everyone within five feet of their location could see them. It was a complex illusion, but it served its purpose.

When Ninjamon finished speaking, Davis was in absolute awe. _This plan is so…so…PERFECT!_ He resisted the urge to jump and down out of sheer vengeful joy. Oh, Yolei was going to get it! She was going to get it SO bad! "You. Are. A. Genius."

Taijamon and Genjamon sweatdropped as Ninjamon proudly flexed his muscles. _Glory hound._

Davis grinned as he look around; Yolei wasn't here yet. "Now all we have to do is wait…"

"But before we do anything, you must sign a contract," muttered Genjamon as he pulled out a small piece of white paper.

Davis blinked out of bewilderment. "Contract? Why do you need a contract?"

Taijamon simply rumbled, "Genjamon is a stickler for punctuality." It was true; he and Ninjamon had both had to sign contracts of alliance (with a no-backstabbing clause, to boot) with Genjamon before the genjutsu user would join them.

"Sign at the bottom please," whispered Genjamon as he handed Davis the paper and a pen. The Digidestined took a moment to look at the contract.

xxxx

_Dear the undersigned,_

_You, hereafter referred to as the first party, have agreed to entail the services of Genjamon, hereafter referred to as the second party. By agreeing to entail the services of the second party, you also, by rule of association, entail the possible resources and assistance of Genjamon's allies, hereafter referred to as the third party. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that all services of the second and third party are legally given with no other motives or drawbacks._

_By signing this, the first party is ensuring that the second and third party's services will be used in ways that are fitting for their abilities. Doing otherwise would constitute a waste of precious time and resources. By signing this contract, the first party is agreeing that, should these services be entailed for reasons that are minor/trivial/insignificant/unimportant, compensation will be required. The terms by which this compensation will be enacted will be settled at a later date._

_By signing this, the first party also agrees that the second party has the right to cancel this legally binding contract at any time. If this contract is cancelled, the second party has no obligation to fulfill the initial terms under which the contract was signed._

_Be strong._

_Be vigilant._

_Be adept._

_Signed:_

_We look forward to working with you in the future._

xxxx

Davis blinked at the wordy contract. "Egh…is this really necessary?"

"It's mostly superficial," replied Genjamon. "But I like to keep an official record of any times I give my services. I even have several different types of contracts, depending on the agreement involved. Call it a personal foible, if you will."

"What's with the three lines before the last part?" asked Davis as he looked at the strange phrases between the last paragraph and the underlined space where the name went.

In response, the genjutsu-using Champion shrugged. "I ran out of words to write with, so I went with what sounded good." Well, that was partially true.

Davis facefaulted. "Eh, oh well…" He grabbed the pen and signed his name. "Davis…Inoue…there."

Ninjamon smiled as Genjamon pocketed the contract. "Then it's settled."

Taijamon suddenly frowned as he gazed into the distance; his eyes were fixated on the intersection adjacent to the school, where a good majority of students walked through. "Speaking of 'settled'…the target is here."

Davis and the other two Digimon turned around to see none other than Yolei Inoue walking towards the school. Like everyone else, she had dressed appropriately for the weather: dark red sweatpants with white stockings, a yellow T-shirt, a purple long-sleeved jacket, and a red beret to cover her head.

The Child of Miracles couldn't help but grin. "Okay…so you can take it from here?"

"Of course," muttered Genjamon as his eyes began to glow. As the Digidestined boy quickly scampered into the building, the Digimon muttered, "Hypnotism's Stare…"

An invisible wave of power erupted from his eyes, silently rushing toward Yolei Inoue. In seconds, it slammed into her head.

At that moment, Yolei felt an extreme migraine claim her. "OW!" The Child of Caring briefly stumbled as she clutched her head, pain radiating from the skull down. "Owie owie owie ow…"

Then, as suddenly as it had come, it vanished. The lavender-haired girl blinked as she rubbed her cranium. _Weird…where did that come from?_

Meanwhile, Genjamon smiled as the target continued into the school. "Success." Hypnotism's Stare was another complex technique of Genjamon's; it was basically an inserting of instructions into the brain so that it would act in a certain way at a certain time. The only way for the hypnotic spell to end, however, was if Genjamon snapped his fingers.

To be a little more specific…the spell put upon Yolei would activate at three o'clock this afternoon.

Until then…

Ninjamon turned around towards Taijamon and Genjamon. "If things go according to plan, I'll be able to carry out everything else from here on out. I'll still need you Genjamon…to break that spell when the time is right."

"Very well," grumbled the mighty taijutsu user. "I will relocate to the docks…and find a hiding place. I will wait for you two there."

Ninjamon and Genjamon both nodded before all three of themran off throughthe dimness of the morning air.

xxxx

/Mrs. Hakashi's Class, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 2:58 PM/

Yolei Inoue sighed as she gazed at the clock. Although she wasn't part of Mrs. Hakashi's homeroom class (in which Davis, Kari, TK, and Daichi were members of), she did have to come with her 8th grade classmates to the room for math. Essentially, she was being taught pre-Algebra; next year was Algebra for her.

Even so, Mrs. Hakashi was going over a lesson Yolei already knew: stem-and-leaf plots, along with the median, mean, mode, and range. Yeah, kind of boring for someone who often fixed Cody's computer.

2:59

The Child of Caring nonchalantly started to pack away her books as the teacher rounded up her lesson and began discussing upcoming events. She mentioned a soccer game for the high schoolers, but that didn't interest her. She wasn't really that big of a soccer fan; she only went whenever fellow Digidestined played.

At the same time, she wondered about the sudden headache from earlier in the morning. Where had it come from? It had been like a literal lightning bolt striking down on a sunny day; so unexpected, and so odd. What was that all about?

3:00

The final bell rang.

It was at that moment that Genjamon's hypnosis took effect.

On the inside, it felt like her brain was suddenly shoved through a space the size of a micron while simultaneously being twisted into a bowtie. On the outside, it merely looked liked her eyes suddenly glazed over.

Yolei Inoue, now under the control of Genjamon's spell, lazily got up and walked off, leaving her books behind.

Within the space of a few minutes, she was already out of the school, lazily walking towards the nearest bus stop. Her destination: Tamachi.

Meanwhile, Poromon was confused as he watched Yolei suddenly get on a bus from afar. "Huh? What's going on?"

"Yo."

Poromon turned around to see Davis, with Veemon at his side. As Veemon snacked on a chocolate muffin (Digimon were really thankful for vending machines, natch), the boy asked, "Where's Yolei?"

Poromon shrugged. "Don't know. She just left without saying a word to me. Any idea where she might be going?"

_Oh, I most certainly do_, thought Davis slyly. However, he quickly answered, "Eh, who knows with her? Come on; I'll take you home!"

The In-Training shrugged, not knowing what exactly was going on. But hey, Davis and Yolei were siblings, and they lived under the same roof; there was no harm in going home with his two friends. "Alrighty, but I get to ride shotgun!" He quickly flapped his wings, getting on top of Veemon's head.

The Rookie sweatdropped as he walked alongside Davis towards the intersection. "Why do I suddenly feel like a taxi?"

xxxx

/Soccer Field, Tamachi School, Tamachi, Tokyo, 5:27 PM/

Unlike Odaiba, Shinjuku, or Shibuya, Tamachi wasn't exactly a real city district; it was actually the informal name of the area surrounding the Tamachi Station in Tokyo's Minato ward. In general terms, Tamachi was part of three different areas: Shiba, Shibaura, and Mita. Considering that Tamachi wasn't a real district to begin with, it was mostly known for the fact that it is home to the headquarters of several major companies and organizations, such as Morinaga or NEC.

Of course, it was also known for one more thing.

Ken 'The Rocket' Ichijouji.

There was only one school in the Tamachi area, and it was made to encompass all students from first grade to twelfth grade. As such, it was a fairly large facility. However, over the past several years, the school had garnered a very noticeable reputation due to two students.

Sam Ichijouji. And later, Ken Ichijouji.

The Ichijouji brothers, through their immense intellectual and athletic talent, had brought the spotlight to the Tamachi area many times in the past. Such fame was not without benefits; many students had joined up or transferred to the school (thus bringing in more revenue) just to see Ken.

But that's beside the point.

Right now, we turn to a soccer field situated to the rear of the high school facility and to the front of the middle school facility (the school was built as three blocks separated by fields). A large crowd had gathered in the stands.

After all, a game was going to begin in three minutes…between the Tamachi Titans…and the Shinjuku Shoguns.

Ken calmly kicked a soccer ball over and over again into the air, practicing before the game began. The coin toss had already been decided; Tamachi would be kicking off and facing eastward. _That should give us one quick point._

In case you're curious, Ken was still the forward for the Titans.

Despite the fact that the power boost provided by Demon's Dark Spore was gone, Ken had worked hard to keep his athletic skills and grades up to his usual standard. Granted, it wasn't that hard – he was quite gifted, after all – but he often had a bit of difficulty remembering old school lessons. Also, fatigue tended to set in rather quickly.

Even so, Ken didn't mind; instead of breezing through everything, he would work there on his own strength.

"_**GOOOOOOO ROCKET!"**_

The Child of Kindness blinked as he looked at the section of the stands dominated by girls from his school, all between 6th and 9th grade. To be frank, all of those girls had a crush on him. To show their devotion, they had formed a fan club: _the Female Rocketeers_.

Ken sighed as he walked onto the field. It's not that he didn't appreciate the support…but such lavish support had always rubbed him the wrong way. For all he knew, he had only gotten all of that support due to the Dark Spore…

The dark-blue clad Shoguns stepped onto the field. The gray clad Titans followed Ken onto the field. The cheers were beginning to drown out even the announcer's voice. And here's an interesting fact…guess who the announcer was?

"**Welcome ladies and gentlemen to another game of soccer, featuring our own Titans against the visiting Shoguns of Shinjuku! Will the Shoguns have what it takes to take down the Titans under the lead of Ken 'The Rocket' Ichijouji? We're about to find out! Good luck Ken!"**

It was Wormmon.

You see, due to his distinctive accent, the school (upon enacting a similar policy similar to that of the Odaiba school in regards to Digimon) had offered Ken's partner a job as an announcer for games. Of course, Ken knew that Wormmon was only offered it because of his celebrity status as the Rocket. He didn't mind; it was something Wormmon enjoyed doing.

As Ken took his position on the field, he glanced at the stands one last time.

That's how he saw Yolei Inoue sitting in the stands.

The Digidestined boy blinked out of surprise; he hadn't actually thought anyone would come to a low-profile game like this. _Oh well…the support is nice._

The whistle blew.

Ken immediately took the ball and bolted down the field.

One minute later, the Titans were ahead by one point.

"**Ken has scored!"**

xxxx

/Soccer Field, Tamachi School, Tamachi, 7:43 PM/

Five seconds left.

The Shinjuku Shoguns, desperate, drove right down the field towards the Titans' goal. Ken immediately stole it at midfield and kicked away. The Shoguns' one chance of scoring another goal was lost.

Not that another one would've matter: the Titans had thrashed them 7 to 2, with Ken providing four of the goals.

As the Tamachi locals erupted into a tremendous cheer, Wormmon clearly spoke. **"Well folks, this has been another dominant game on the part of the Titans. The Shoguns fought valiantly, but there's just nothing that can stop the Rocket!"** At the same time, Yolei was calmly walking down the steps of the stands.

The Female Rocketeers simultaneously yelled, "THAT'S RIGHT!"

Ken quietly muttered his thanks as a teammate handed him a towel, which he promptly used to wipe the sweat off his forehead. A cameraman from the local Tamachi station (and it was a small station; only about as big as two McDonald's stacked on each other) recorded the footage of the game's end; in a few minutes, he'd be in the station minivan, heading back to the station to get the footage ready in time for the 8 o'clock news.

As Ken neared the sidelines, he suddenly saw Yolei walking towards him. "Oh. Hello Yolei!"

Yolei said nothing.

Ichijouji blinked as the Child of Caring continued to walk over. He couldn't quite describe it, but…something was wrong with her eyes…

Suddenly, without warning, Yolei wrapped her arms around him and planted her lips upon his.

Sure enough, a bystander saw…and pointed. "LOOK!"

Naturally, everyone did look. Including the cameraman.

Everyone's jaws dropped. Cameras flashed. The Female Rocketeers froze out of sheer horror. Ken was slightly surprised…but then again, it wasn't the first kiss Yolei and he had shared. However, he had to wonder…why NOW? In front of his fans. Fans who tended to get a bit obsessive, for lack of a better word.

Five seconds after the kiss.

On a nearby rooftop, a familiar figure snapped his fingers.

Yolei's glazed eyes suddenly came back into focus. "Hmm?"

Where was she?

She looked around; she was at a soccer field…and judging by the uniforms of the school children in the stands (well, a good majority of the school children anyway), she was at Tamachi. _Why am I in Tamachi?_

Then, she saw the reflective lens of the large, handheld camera that was recording footage. _Why is it looking at me?_

She looked in front of her…and realized that her arms were around Ken, who was looking at her with a rather confused gaze.

It immediately occurred to her.

For some reason that she couldn't fathom, she had decided to lock lips with Ken. In public. In front of many people who had a crush on him. With a camera rolling.

Needless to say, her reaction was impulsive and immediate.

"_**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"**_

Yolei shrieked. Moments later, she was gone, a dust trail in her wake.

Ken blinked as she ran off for the nearest bus stop. _She can run awfully fast when she wants to._

Meanwhile, atop the roof of the high school building, two familiar Digimon looked down at the scene.

Genjamon – the one who had snapped fingers – calmly said, "I have done my part…although I still don't see the necessity of this. I can understand your want for a personal guarantee…but won't my contract suffice?"

"I don't trust the Digidestined to live up to the contract," muttered Ninjamon with a sneer. "So I wanted a second guarantee…from our future opponent." He then pointed at the large group of females in the stands: the Female Rocketeers. "Look at their faces…you can SEE the anger on them from here."

Genjamon remained silent as he gazed at the girls; sure enough, he could see expressions of anger, fury, jealousy, resentment, and even hate. "My goodness…those girls really are as devoted as you say they are."

Ninjamon snickered. "I know." He had found out about the Rocketeers while investigating for Ken's whereabouts; after eavesdropping on one of their meetings, he thought of the possibilities. "By the end of this week, I'll have our opponent's guarantee."

Genjamon sighed. "Fine then…I'll be with our ally Taijamon at the docks. We'll be waiting for you there."

Ninjamon smiled as Genjamon vanished. _Heh heh…soon Shurimon…_

xxxx

/Living Room, Kamiya Apartment, Odaiba, 8:10 PM/

"**Greetings everyone, welcome back to the Tamachi 8 o'clock news. We have just received footage from the Tamachi game…and well, the Titans, under the guide of Ken 'The Rocket' Ichijouji, won 7 to 2 over the Shinjuku Shoguns. However, the most interesting 'play' of the day actually occurred after the game ended."**

At that moment, a still picture of Yolei and Ken locking lips was seen.

Seconds later, Kari spit all of her soda out on the TV.

Tai blinked as he watched Kari cough ferociously. Then again, he couldn't blame her; it's not often you see a friend kissing another friend of yours (and a celebrity to boot) on TV. Heck, the only reason they had turned to this station was to see how Ken's game had gone. "Well…that's unusual."

"Not only that," sputtered Kari as she wiped the carbonated dribble off of her chin. "But it's out of character…Yolei may like Ken, but she's not one to be romantic. ESPECIALLY in public. So why?"

Tai could only shrug.

And at the Inoue Apartment, Davis was watching the same broadcast.

And he was bawling his eyes out due to laughter.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Auditorium, Tamachi School, Tamachi, Tuesday, December 13th, 5:25 PM/

"This emergency meeting of the Female Rocketeers is now in session!"

One girl spoke to over 200. Her spiky black hair and fierce brown eyes seemed to compliment her Tamachi uniform (a gray, button-up, long-sleeved vest over a white undershirt, a red tie, and a dark gray skirt that went down to the thighs). Her skin was only somewhat tanned, and her hair's length only grew out to about five inches (a nice change of pace from Tai's tremendous do). The knee-length socks were gray in color, and she wore black dress shoes. Her name: Tatsuki Tamashiro.

Grade: 8th

Hobby: Head of the Female Rocketeers.

Currently, she was in the school auditorium (normally used for basketball games, it also had an elevated section of the polished wooden floor that could be used for speeches or plays), speaking to all members of the Female Rocketeers. To signify the meeting, there was a large banner strung across the wall: it featured a purple rocket with Ken's visage rocketing through space.

"HAI!" roared the girls.

"As you all know, one of the long-term goals of our group is to get Ken's first kiss!"

"YES!" roared the audience.

"But…" Tatsuki clenched her fists angrily as she pulled out a picture of Yolei kissing Ken. "But as this picture clearly shows, his innocence was plucked by a lavender-haired CHARLATAN!"

"BOO!" growled the Rocketeers.

An orange-haired girl from the 7th grade blubbered, "E-E-Even though we had some members become his girlfriends…we never got a kiss!" It was true; the few girlfriends that Ken had had before his Digidestined days were from the Rocketeers…but it was mostly publicity. The affection was all one-way.

"True! Yet we always retained hope!" roared a dark-haired girl from the 9th grade. "But then THIS travesty happened!"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" roared Tatsuki. "And this one goal is only ONE! What if she gets to other goals before we do? Like the first date? The first time on the amusement park ferris wheel? Or even…**MARRIAGE?"**

"**_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"_** squealed the Rocketeers; that was their ultimate goal! **"NO!** WE WON'T ALLOW IT!"

Tatsuki grinned. "Good…so we must make sure this girl leaves her paws off of our Rocket!"

"YEAH!"

"Problem is…" Tatsuki sweatdropped out of slight embarrassment. "We have no idea who she is, or where she lives…"

All of the girls in the auditorium facefaulted.

All of a sudden…

"Heh heh heh heh…" Laughter echoed down from the rafters above.

The girls all looked around out of confusion and fright. Tatsuki roared, "WHO'S THERE?"

Suddenly, from the shadows of the rafters…

"Greetings."

Tatsuki whirled around to see a smirking Ninjamon. "A DIGIMON!"

There was a mixed reaction from the Rocketeers; some screamed, some squealed, some blinked, some glared, and some went 'oooh…'. You get the picture.

The little Champion calmly said, "Relax…I'm only here to offer you some help. Help with your little 'girl' problem…"

This statement caused Tatsuki to blink. "What…what do you mean?"

"I mean…that I can get the 'charlatan', as you put it," answered Ninjamon with a smirk.

This reply caused Tatsuki to blink. However, as the full implications set in, she smiled. "I see…" She immediately whirled around and boasted out loud to the group. "Did you hear, fellow Rocketeers! The one who selfishly stole away Ken's innocence is finally in our reach!"

"**WOOOOOOOOO!"** cheered the rest of the all-female group; revenge was in their grasp!

Ninjamon smirked. "Don't get _too_ excited…kidnapping her right now would be bad, as she has school tomorrow, and suspicions would immediately be aroused."

Tatsuki sweatdropped. _He's got a point._

"But don't worry…" Ninjamon suddenly jumped onto the rafters. "I shall bring her to this auditorium four nights from now…on Saturday. If I'm correct, schools are closed Sunday…so you'll have her all to yourselves."

He then vanished into the shadows.

Tatsuki grinned as she turned to face her fellow Rocketeers. "Everyone hear that? Everyone be here by 8:00 AM Sunday morning! If that Digimon keeps his word, we'll have that horrific girl to ourselves!"

"YEAAAH!"

"Rocketeers…DISMISSED!"

"HAI!"

xxxx

Fast-forward!

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Saturday, December 17th, 10:59 PM/

"Ah…I'm looking forward to a nice, relaxing day tomorrow…" Yolei sighed as she snuggled under the covers with Poromon.

Now, she had had time to simmer down over the last few days…but there was no doubt within her mind that Davis had had something to do with the incident on Tuesday. Trouble was, she had no way of proving it. At least with the incident on the flagpole, where there had been no 'hard' evidence (if you didn't count Davis' admission to the fact he did it), he had left his calling card. But the last one…there were no fingerprints of Davis' to be found.

Plus, her social life had suddenly become a lot more hectic. Everyone at school was asking her questions…lots of questions.

'Is the Rocket a good kisser?'

'Are you two dating?'

'When you kissed, did he French you?'

Yolei shuddered with embarrassment; that last question had resulted in her impulsively slapping the offender (Daichi, FYI) in the face. _Pervert._

Still, it's not like she faulted Ken; after all, she HAD been the one to make the first move, albeit unwillingly. And besides…the kiss had been…kind of nice…

She was thinking too much about it. It would blow over eventually. _Just sleep…_

"ZZZ…zzz…ZZZ…zzz…"

Yolei stared with envy at her partner, who was bundled up onto her pillow. _I wish I could sleep like that._ The Child of Caring plopped down and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes, feeling slightly itchy in her purple pajamas (hey, it was getting colder). Finally, she fell asleep.

Moments later, Ninjamon stepped out of a shadow, a cruel smirk on his face. _Hee hee hee…_

In his right hand was a cloth soaked with chloroform (an anesthetic liquid that, if used correctly, could knock out someone).

In his left hand was a small wooden box. It was being held shut by a small slip of paper; it was a paper tag of Genjamon's, with some kanji written on in red ink.

Ninjamon calmly set the box down on the floor, six feet away from the door. _This should be a nice surprise for whoever decides to walk in tomorrow._ A malicious grin coated his face.

He immediately pushed the rag against Yolei's mouth and nostrils. Her eyes shot open momentarily before they once more shut; now a deeper darkness than sleep had claimed her: unconsciousness.

Ninjamon grinned as he hoisted her body over one shoulder and opened a window. He calmly hopped out and closed it behind him. Finally, he smiled as he jumped from wall to wall until he reached the nearest rooftop. _Yes! There's only one more step after this…and then the battle is truly assured!_

Ninjamon grinned maniacally as he leapt as fast as he could towards the Tamachi shool's auditorium. Once he crossed Rainbow Bridge, he'd be free from the Mega Elitemon…and then he could take his time.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Kitchen, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Sunday, December 18th, 8:47 AM/

Davis – still clad in blue pajamas – smiled as he leaned back in his chair, chomping down some instant-ramen (Miso flavor) as he did. "Just a bew more daysh until the Emberor's Birfday. Then it's out of skewl for the whole day!"

_WHAP!_

"OW!" yelped Davis as he impulsively swallowed. Chizuru had been the one to slap him upside the head. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

Chizuru calmly muttered, "Talking with food in your mouth is bad table manners."

Davis grumbled as Veemon happily slurped down his own cup of Beef-flavored instant-ramen (for those curious, this is cup #3). "Yum!"

As Mantarou cleaned the dishes – his parents, Momoe, and Jun were already working down in the store – he asked, "Is Yolei still asleep? It's almost nine!"

"Eh, it's a free day. Who cares if she oversleeps?" Davis slurped down the rest of his ramen.

Chizuru said, "She wouldn't want to sleep the whole day away. So go wake her up."

Davis immediately protested, "WHY DO I HAVE TO DO IT?"

"Because you're the only one here who's yet to experience the wrath of a cranky Yolei," sarcastically replied Mantarou. "But seriously though, it'd be a good way to get on her good side; she hates oversleeping."

Davis grumbled as Veemon quickly ran to the pantry and pulled out another cup of instant-ramen. "Fine then." As he left the kitchen, the last thing he heard was Veemon turning on the microwave.

In reality, Davis wanted to wake Yolei up. Of course, this was only because he had found out it would help him get on her good side; now that he was officially done with the pranks (at least, for now…heh heh…), he wanted to bury the hatchet.

He stopped outside of her door and knocked on it. "Yolei, wake up."

No answer.

Another knock.

No answer.

Five more knocks on the door.

Still nothing.

Davis sighed. _You just HAVE to make it tough on me, dontcha?_ He opened the door.

To his surprise, Yolei wasn't in there. "Huh?"

At the sound of his voice, Poromon finally began to stir. "Rrrgh…what a wonderful dream…"

Davis blinked. _Where is she?_

Then he noticed the box on the ground. _Wha?_ The Child of Miracles knelt down and glanced at it. It was a simple wooden box…almost like the kind you'd keep a pendant or key in. However, instead of golden locks, there was a paper tag with red kanji – Japanese characters – on it.

_Kanan._

Davis blinked; those characters stood for 'fire calamity'. _What the heck is this?_ He decided to do the only natural thing he could do; he opened the box with his right hand, thus ripping the tag.

Immediately, the fringes of the torn tag ignited with red fire.

xxxx

From outside, one could see the Inoue Apartment.

Moments later, there was a flash of light from Yolei's room as fire and smoke erupted from it. Glass shattered against the asphalt. A badly burnt Poromon – thrown clear out of the apartment by the explosion – landed with a thud on the sidewalk, wincing out of agony.

In Yolei's room, everything was coated with soot. Her bed was on fire. The box had been vaporized. The computer had melted.

Davis could only blink out of utter shock. _Wha…what just…happened…?_

He looked down at himself. His clothes were on fire…but he couldn't feel them. Why? Why couldn't he move his right arm?

Then he looked down.

"!"

Then he realized why he couldn't feel anything. Why the only sound coming out of his mouth was pained gasps.

He was in shock.

_**HIS RIGHT ARM WAS GONE.**_

xxxx

To be continued…

Next time…

Chapter 26: The Trouble with Fangirls

xxxx

Author's Notes: If you thought Ninjamon's surprise was going to be another clichéd 'smoke bomb'…well, you were wrong.

It'll be interesting to see how this changes things…

Two more chapters left to go!

See you soon, and please review!


	26. The Trouble with Fangirls

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Nope. NOW GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!

Author's Notes: (blinks) My goodness; everyone was too mortified over Davis' right arm to pay much attention to the prank. o.o;

To the reviews!

miss.free.style: Considering what Davis has been through (Darkheart was more than enough on his own!), don't you think he should be allowed to wax seriousness every once in a while?

Dark Qiviut: Yay! I made you use an emoticon!

american idiot 101: A coincidence.

Anthony1: Can you say 'cybernetic' appendage? ;P

Yamimaru: And I don't particularly care for Ninjamon's Japanese name. So there.

Chibi-Kari: Davis fangirl ahoy. o.o

Bluesv20: Genjamon and Taijamon are my own characters.

Chigy: Yes, losing an arm does hurt.

blazing fury: Curve balls are good. o.o

Cloud-821: Shocked, I presume?

Ninetalesuk: I am NOT sick. The doctor said I'm healthy. o.o

Saiyoto: (eats the Butterfinger candy bar) ;P

duskmon87: Answers shall be provided after the end of Housemates.

Crimson G: The former, yes. I'll try and see if I can get the latter without getting a PSP.

SamuraiSirius: Rabid 'otaku' are always fun to write about. :P

Yami Vizzini: Actually, Battle of the Shinobi will be a two-shot fic.

Ficmaster: About Darkheart? Never. ;)

Sora Potter: Another Daisuke fangirl. o.o

legends sword: Huzzah for sentence fragments.

JyouraKoumi: Your command of the English language makes all English-users feel disgusted simply because you use it. Go back to school. o.-

Silver Warrior: …

Dot Cubed: Be honest; would you expect a tremendous explosion to result just because you ripped a piece of paper that said something bad? That'd be like me creating a black hole if a shredded a book about physics.

Digi fan: Indeed.

SjKid: No seppuku!

SSJ4Takeru: The Naruto dub is indeed excellent. Check out my Naruto story if you have the time. As for your story…I'd love to read it, but I'd have to go through the original first, and I don't have time for such a massive undertaking. Maybe someday…

Puragatory: Come to think of it, no. She didn't. Oh well.

**NOTE**: Due to the juvenile nature of some of the pranks, the few scenes of nudity in this story, and the particularly graphic scene from last chapter (though it doesn't compare to what Darkheart did to Davis IMO), this story has been bumped to T.

Begin!

xxxx

Chapter 26: The Trouble with Fangirls

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 8:51 AM/

It was a scene straight from Hell itself.

Fire all around. Smoke clogging the air. The smell of burning fabric. The touch of ravenous flames.

Davis could barely process any of that.

His right arm…was gone. Completely incinerated by the fiery blast that had consumed Yolei's room. The wound was cauterized; no blood leaked from the blackened stump that was once his arm.

"…ah……hah…"

Pained breaths slowly came from Davis' mouth. The shock was beginning to wear off; the tremendous agony of his lost arm and burning body was beginning to make itself known.

"…ah…hah…ah….AH…**AH**…"

"Davish?"

Davis Inoue blinked as he turned to Veemon, who stood calmly like a mighty mountain amidst the flames…but there were no flames.

…_wha?_ The Child of Miracles blinked as he looked around. The entire room was as pristine as could be. The windows were whole. The computer still sat quietly on the desk. Poromon continued to sleep soundly on the (non-burning) bed. Out of sudden realization, he looked down…and saw his right arm.

It was still attached to him. He feebly felt it, making sure it was real; it was.

His arm was still there.

Everything was normal.

Davis Inoue merely slumped to the ground (much to Veemon's confusion), his forehead lined with cold sweat. _But…it felt so real…that couldn't have been fake. It was too real!_

Yet it had been fake. It had been a very convincing illusion…although Davis had no idea how he had experienced it. Then it clicked; the box. _That box! _Davis immediately looked ahead at the opened box.

Inside was a note. Veemon muttered, "Ooh…what's it say?"

Davis grabbed the note and quickly read it.

xxxx

_Yolei Inoue has been kidnapped. Find her if you can._

xxxx

Davis paled. "Yolei…kidnapped?"

"WHAT?" yelped Poromon as he suddenly awoke, looking around in a daze. He impulsively digivolved to Hawkmon out of an innate desire to protect her. "What what what? How? Who did it?"

Davis quickly shushed the excited Rookie. "Quiet…we don't want the others to know." The Digidestined boy gritted his teeth as he kicked the box under the bed. _First I hallucinate that my arm becomes toast…and now I find out Yolei's been kidnapped! What's going on here?_ "Okay…Hawkmon, you go out the window and start looking around. I don't want the others to panic, so I'll just tell them Yolei went to the Digital World. We'll join you as soon as possible."

Hawkmon nodded. "Right-o, chap." The Rookie pried open the window with his feathery hands and took flight into the early morning air. Satisfied, Davis Inoue turned towards his partner and said, "Ready?"

"You betcha!" cheered Veemon enthusiastically. Even though he didn't quite grasp exactly what was going on, he would follow his partner everywhere. "Let's go Davish!"

Davis nodded as he walked out of the room, a determined stride exhibited by his powerful legs. As he went to obtain his D-3 and D-Terminal, a sense of foreboding came to mind. Something weird was behind this 'kidnapping'…his gut was having all sorts of strange feelings. _This whole thing stinks. I've gotta find out what's happened to Yolei…I mean, who would want to kidnap her?_

xxxx

/Auditorium, Tamachi School, Tamachi, 8:55 AM/

…_mmm…_

Stirring.

_What the…?_

Why did she feel so woozy? She must've had one doozy of a slumber.

…_why can't I move?_

Yolei finally opened her eyes.

To her utter astonishment, she was facing almost two hundred girls wearing Tamachi school uniforms. _Eh?_ She looked around; she was in an auditorium. _Wha?_ She suddenly realized her hands were suspended…and she looked up to see them bound by a rope tied to a rafter far above. _WHAT!_

She suddenly blinked at the sight of a girl with spiky black hair glaring at her from about five feet away. She impulsively gulped; the look in her eyes screamed 'murder'.

…_what have I gotten into?_

Tatsuki Tamashiro's brown eyes glared straight into Yolei's orange irises. The Child of Caring could easily see the animosity present in the fierce-looking girl's eyes. _What did I do to tick HER off_, thought the Digidestined with a bit of indignation.

"Attention fellow Rocketeers!" roared Tatsuki to the crowd. It has taken awhile for this 'girl' to awaken…but now we can begin the interrogation!"

"**WOOOOOOOOOO!"**

Yolei sweatdropped at the cheering. _Who ARE these people?_ They had called themselves 'Rocketeers'…

Tatsuki turned to face Yolei with an angry glare. "Now…you will explain to us why you had the GALL to go out and kiss **OUR** Rocket IN BROAD DAYLIGHT!"

"YEAH!" roared the other girls.

It was at this moment that Yolei felt like dying. _…oh no…fangirls…_

Many things in the world have their own clique of devoted fans; and these weren't like normal fans either. They were the hardest of the hardcore, willing to trade furniture items or family heirlooms for simple trinkets that had belonged to their idol of choice (say, some hair from William Shatner) or a super-rare card from the game they played (say, 'Exodia the Forbidden One' from Yu-Gi-Oh!). These people were often characterized by many as the most irrational and delusional of all fans. So much so, that these 'people worshipers' had gotten their own notorious title: the fanboy.

Or, in Yolei's case, the fangirl.

And that was why she was so downtrodden and ticked off at the same time. She had been kidnapped from her own room – in the dead of night – by a group of people who didn't even know her. They bore an intense hatred – so intense it surpassed the fiery white-hot intensity of a thousand suns – for her…just because she had kissed their idol of choice: Ken Ichijouji.

"ANSWER!" roared a blonde-haired transfer student with an angry snarl.

Yolei Inoue indignantly muttered, "No."

Tatsuki got right in her face. "YOU **_WILL_** ANSWER."

"BITE ME!" roared Yolei as she kicked Tatsuki between the legs.

The other girls gasped.

Tatsuki Tamashiro merely winced as a smirk came to her face.

Yolei suddenly felt like an idiot. _Oh…I forgot that that doesn't work on girls like it does on guys…shoot._

Tatsuki turned to the girls and roared, "Get me some more rope!"

Ten girls quickly obtained rope from a storage closet and bound Yolei's legs as well. Now she couldn't move any of her limbs. The head of the Rocketeers smirked mischievously. "A cheap shot…but it was a hard one. But then again, I AM the school's Judo champion; it takes more than a kick to keel me over."

_Great. I also have a Chizuru clone to deal with. Except this one has a mean streak. Joy._ Yolei's situation was looking worse every second.

"Now you will TELL US!" roared a buxom orange-haired girl from the audience. "Tell us why you kissed our Kenny!"

Yolei growled, "I don't know why I did it!"

A longhaired Chinese transfer student giggled. "As if! Denial is **ALWAYS** the first recourse for someone in the hot seat."

Yolei snorted. "Whatever!"

"But it doesn't erase the fact that you plucked our Kenny's innocence!" retorted a red-haired girl who stood tall at 7 feet. "It was one of our long-term goals of the Rocketeers…to have one of our own claim the first kiss! But you took it from us, you little SLUT!" The other Rocketeers cheered at this outburst.

Bad move.

"_Slut? **SLUT?**"_ Yolei immediately started thrashing around, trying to free herself from her bonds (to no avail). The legendary ire of the female Inoue had risen once more, with snappy jaws to accompany it. **"YOU'RE ALL A BUNCH OF _LUNATICS!_ YOU KIDNAPPED ME AND TIED ME UP JUST BECAUSE _I KISSED KEN?_"**

"Not just any kiss; the FIRST kiss," commented a blue-haired girl with a bowl cut.

Yolei, in her blind rage, impulsively roared, **"IT WAS _NOT_ HIS FIRST KISS!"**

Bad move. The Female Rocketeers were effectively silenced, their jeering ceasing immediately. Yolei Inoue immediately chastised herself. _Oh boy. Good one you idiot._

Tatsuki's eyes narrowed as her gaze burrowed straight into Yolei's suddenly defensive stare. "And how would you know this? Are you saying you've kissed him before?"

Yolei, being in the bewildered and confused state she was currently in (and you can't really fault her for being such; she's just been insulted, she's bound up tight, she's at the mercy of rabid fangirls, and she's gone without breakfast. Of course she'd be off-guard mentally), nodded yes.

Tatsuki Tamashiro blanched. The other Rocketeers gasped out of shock. It was at this moment that a girl with purple hair (seriously; where do these anime people inherit their wacky hair color? Are they the spawn of a human mother and a box of crayons? Never mind, moving on!) piped up, "Wait…remember when Ken disappeared for a long time? No one knew where he went…then he suddenly returned…"

The conclusions were immediate. All of them turned an accusing glare to Yolei as a girl way in the back shouted, "She must have abducted Ken and seduced him!"

Yolei felt like curling up and dying. _And they're whacked-out conspiracy theorists to boot. WHY ME?_ Much to her dismay, this 'theory' was rapidly gaining steam amongst the Rocketeers. Confused whispers rose to suspicious mutterings, then to paranoid ramblings, then to outright-angry roaring. It was official: they now believed that she was the one who had abducted Ken.

Suddenly, Tatsuki roared, "ALL OF YOU: **QUIET!**"

The Rocketeers immediately silenced. Yolei sweatdropped. _My. She acts like a drill sergeant._

The Judo-user turned to face Yolei Inoue, a downright LIVID look in her brown irises. "We don't want to kill you…but we won't hesitate to hit you with dodge balls to make you talk. Tell us what you did with Ken during his disappearance…and you'd best be sure that a first kiss wasn't the ONLY thing you took from him."

Yolei Inoue got the threat. She wouldn't be beaten to death…just beaten very closely to death. Great. _What am I going to do?_ It was quite a quandary; tell the truth and possibly save herself…or keep the secrets of the Digital World a secret. _What do I do, what do I do…_

Then, she suddenly remembered. _Wait. People know about the Digital World now._ She mentally smacked herself. _Okay…but no sense in telling them everything about the Digidestined…or the villains…ESPECIALLY not the Emperor. They'd probably tear me apart for 'lying' about their bastion of perfection._ Although Yolei was never really fond of the concept of 'fanboyism'…she utterly hated it now.

She made her mind up. She'd tell them the truth…but not all of it.

"Okay, since I'm pretty sure all of you know about the Digital World, I'll cut to the chase…"

xxxx

/Rooftop, Fuji Television Station, Odaiba, 9:11 AM/

Being a Digidestined's partner was a perilous thing.

There was not only the constant danger that came with battling the evil threats of the Digiworld, but there were also the normal things. Merely being a Digidestined's partner meant living up to a certain standard of morality and character that was expected of the legendary Children of Destiny. As a result, the Digimon had to be careful in battle…and early on, during the battles with the Emperor, it was especially difficult.

The task had been to target only the Dark Rings (and later on, the Dark Spirals)…without killing the Digimon. When one had great power as the Digidestined did, it was hard not to go all out…to utterly crush your opponent, just because you could. It was a feeling Hawkmon was familiar with; even against BelialMyotismon, he had felt a certain sense of reprehension over killing a Digimon (well, in that case he had only contributed his energy to the final blow…and though he didn't even consider it at the time, he had dwelled on it sometime afterwards. Hindsight was always 20/20.) It was probably because Yolei was a bit averse to such a thing.

That was the other problem with being a Digidestined's partner: the sharing of feelings.

It was a relationship that normal human/Digmon partnerships – such as Daichi and Impmon – did not possess. It was a two-way street; even now, Hawkmon could feel faint twinges of annoyance and desperation flickering at the edge of his thoughts. It was telling him of what Yolei was experiencing at the moment. I wonder what her kidnappers are doing to her…

Such a relationship, although useful in carving a friendship between partners, was also deadly. If elation went both ways, so could depression. If happiness went both ways (it probably explained why Davis was so optimistic; Veemon's happy-go-lucky attitude was no doubt a factor), so could sadness. If love could go both ways, so could hate (it was a wonder Wormmon had been able to retain his kindness and his devotion for Ken despite all the negativity during his days as the Digimon Emperor). And according to Shaun, the relationship would eventually become so deep that the two would depend on each other for survival; Digimon died, but the souls remained, and they were reborn. But if the Digidestined died…then so did the Digimon. Forever.

Perhaps that was why the Rookie was so adamant about finding Yolei; he didn't want such a thing to happen to them. Not after all the Digidestined had been through in only a few short months.

_I wish I had Shaun's Holy Armor of Wisdom; then I'd be able to find Yolei with just a thought_, mused Hawkmon as he peered over Tokyo Bay from the rooftop of Fuji Television Station. So far, he had combed about six square miles in the air…but Odaiba was a big place. Very big. "…Yolei."

"Hee hee…looking for someone?"

The Rookie whirled around to see a Digimon with a small, round body that resembled a sphere with tiny limbs. Something about the red headdress and the glint in his eyes was familiar though… "Who are you?"

The Digimon smirked. "Surely you'd remember an old foe 'Hawkmon'…or should I say, the predecessor to Shurimon!"

It clicked. Hawkmon frowned as he said, "You…I fought you and Musyamon along with Ken's partner under File Island. Ninjamon."

The Champion snickered. "That would be correct! But since then, Musyamon had a bit of a falling out, so I obtained new allies. But enough about me…let's talk about you."

"How about no?" retorted Hawkmon as he prepared to use a Feather Strike; such a move wouldn't work against a Champion…but he was willing to fight anyway. His light-blue eyes narrowed as he demanded, "What brings you out here?"

"To settle the score from File Island…and in order to do so, I made some arrangements."

Hawkmon paled. "Yolei…YOU kidnapped her."

A malicious smirk came to the Champion-level Digimon. "Intuitive. I like that in my opponents."

"Why did you kidnap her? What have you done with her?" demanded Hawkmon as he prepared to attack.

"Relax; I'm not here to fight." Ninjamon calmly raised his hands, although the smirk never left his face. "I'm merely here to tell you where your partner is…all I did was deliver her to the ones who requested the kidnapping."

Hawkmon said nothing, although his hands never left the razor-sharp feather atop his forehead.

Ninjamon continued. "Your partner is in an auditorium at a school in a city area called 'Tamachi'…and that's all."

Ken's school, thought Hawkmon as his glare remained fixated on the Champion. Finally, after several moments of silence, the Rookie asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Ninjamon said nothing for several seconds.

Finally…

"Because our last fight was not a true battle."

Hawkmon blinked. "Hm?"

"We fought under File Island…but the circumstances prevented either of us from bringing out either of our full potential. I was a slave to that power-mad fool UmbraDevimon…so I could not fight freely. Although I may have questionable 'ethics', I still have a code of honor when it comes to the field of battle." Ninjamon calmly took out a small kunai knife – a blade roughly the size of a dagger, but with a loophole that allowed it to be spun around on one finger – and sliced into his cheek. A miniscule trickle of blood came from the tiny cut. "There." He brushed his right hand over the wound. "We'll shake on our very blood that we shall fight…and don't even bother telling anyone else about myself, or the battle…otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill your precious 'partner'."

Hawkmon was in quite a predicament, mentally speaking. Why was Ninjamon doing this? Just so he could fight him? Why go to such elaborate lengths? Why…

But this was his only chance of finding Yolei. _Very well._ The Rookie grabbed his razor-sharp feather and pricked his finger with its tip; blood trickled onto his right palm. Tentatively, the Rookie shook the Champion's hand.

Ninjamon smirked. "It is done. An oath forged in blood…that we shall fight when I next come to you." With that said, the ninjutsu-user quickly flipped away, disappearing beyond the edge of the TV station.

Hawkmon was alone.

The avian Digimon frowned; he would have time to ponder this predicament later. Now he needed to get to Tamachi…but the thing was, he had no idea where the school in Tamachi was.

But he knew someone who DID know.

Ken Ichijouji.

_But how am I going to find HIM, _thought Hawkmon in a tizzy. Finding a school would be hard enough; finding a singular person would be next to impossible…

But the person in question was Ken 'The Rocket' Ichijouji…

A sudden idea came to Hawkmon. It was crazy…but it might just work.

He quickly flew downward from the station and paused outside a window of an office worker. A brown-haired woman wearing red-rimmed glasses was busy filing the station's expense reports on a computer. On her desk were several photos; one of which was a print-off of an online photo from a newspaper. It sported Ken's image (as it turned out, she had once been a reporter, and she had often reported on Ken Ichijouji. But Hawkmon didn't know that).

_Knock-knock._

The woman blinked as she looked at the window, slightly bewildered at the large bird using a yellow beak to tap at the window. Somewhat absent-mindedly, she opened the window. "Yes?"

Hawkmon asked, "You wouldn't happen to know how to get to Ken Ichijouji's house from here, would you?"

The woman blinked; it was a strange request…but after reporting on the Rocket several times a few years ago, she knew how to get to his apartment by heart. "Um…okay." She calmly reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a map detailing how to get to the Ichijouji Apartment from the TV Station. "Just follow the directions…"

Hawkmon said, "Many thanks madam," before clutching it in his beak and flying away. _Well that was easy. Now with this, I can follow the roads to Ken's house from the air!_

The woman blinked as she closed her office window. _Well that was unusual_. Now, normally, she would've been a bit suspicious about a Digimon suddenly asking how to get to the home of a famous store. But that had only been up till about two weeks ago.

"Here ya go Ms. Takahashi!"

The woman turned her dark eyes to a small, 5-foot tall Digimon that seemed like a bizarre mixture of gremlin and dog; with bumpy blue skin, paw-like feet, a small, simian head, and a hunched appearance, the Digimon was not very intimidating. Were it not for the angular orange armor that he wore, he would seem twice as small; the armor on his back was large, as it held a supply of methane for him to breathe; he couldn't handle the hydrogen/oxygen/nitrogen mix that most humans and Digimon inhaled. Then again, neither could the other members of his kind. The orange armor, also, indicated his level: Rookie.

He was a Gruntmon; one of many of the Forbidden City Digimon to seek a new life in the Real World. This particular one was an assistant to Ms. Takahashi.

Ms. Takahashi smiled as she took the cup of coffee, mind briefly wondering to her own digivice; it was currently kept inside her desk. "Thank you Favap."

Luckily for Hawkmon, after meeting Favap, Ms. Takahashi had come to the conclusion that Digimon weren't so bad.

xxxx

/Auditorium, Tamachi School, Tamachi, 9:20 PM/

The entire tale had been cut to a short eight minutes, due to Yolei's editing job. She had told them about how she and Ken had met in the Digital World a couple of months ago with their own Digimon (although the Rocketeers had known about Wormmon ever since Ken had revealed him, the revelation about his trip to the Digital World had floored them). She had tried to fib her way through some spots – not mentioning Darkheart or other villains was making it really hard for her to tell the story – but she had eventually gotten off by saying that Ken had basically run away to escape the pressures of the Real World (which, in some ways, was true).

Yolei had spoken of how she had continuously gone to the Digital World to help keep Ken informed about the goings on in the Real World. Naturally, in order to appease their theory that she and Ken were an 'item', she had to speak of their growing attraction for each other (even though in reality, that had actually been true). Finally, she had spoken of how a powerful Digimon had attacked the two of them, sealing them inside a cave (in real life, that had been the battle with one of the Imps in Darkheart's Labyrinth). In the relative peace inside the cave, they decided 'to heck with it' and shared one kiss, thinking that they might as well have one should they kick the bucket (that little detail had sent the Rocketeers into a screaming fit, although a few had complimented her on her slick moves with Ken, much to her confusion). Fortunately, their Digimon had saved them from the enemy. To finish it all off, she said that – some time after escaping the cave – that she convinced Ken to return to the Real World, as he couldn't escape his present forever.

That's where the tale had ended.

Now, Yolei wasn't much of a storyteller. However, thanks to her memories, she had managed to spin a somewhat believable yarn. _Now let's hope that they bite the bait…_

Finally Tatsuki growled, "I hope you're telling the truth."

Yolei snorted. "Now why should I lie?"

"To save your skin!" roared an orange-haired girl further back in the audience.

Yolei retorted, "And if I lied, you'd beat me up anyway! So what's the point?"

A blue-haired girl leaned in towards the orange-haired girl. "She has a point."

Suddenly, a fairly fat girl with short black hair asked, "So…did you two ever hold hands?"

Yolei blinked at the sudden question. "Um, well-"

"What does Ken taste like?" asked a girl with long blonde hair and eyes of blue. "You kissed him, didn't you?"

Yolei blushed due to the odd question. "Uh-"

"Did you ever go out on a date?" asked a shorthaired girl with green eyes.

Yolei paled at all of the questions coming at her.

"Did you two go to an amusement park?"

"Did he give you any tongue when you kissed?"

"Does he like dinner, then a movie, or is it the other way around?"

"Did he save you from a man-eating Digimon?"

Suddenly, a muscular girl – easily 6 feet – with brown hair tied in pigtails dramatically roared, **"DID YOU MAKE SWEET LOVE UNDER THE SHADE OF A CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE?"**

"**_EEEEK!"_** shrieked the Rocketeers. _"DON'T EVEN JOKE LIKE THAT!"_

If Yolei could've facefaulted, she would have. _WHY ME? WHY DO MY KIDNAPPERS HAVE TO BE FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY?_

xxxx

/Atop Rainbow Bridge, Tokyo Bay, Tokyo, 9:25 PM/

Ever since Digimon's existence had become known and (somewhat) publicly accepted, Ken had found a new spot for him to do nothing more than think: anywhere.

Thanks to the flight of his partner's Champion form, one of his favorite spots now was on the white towers of the suspension bridge joining Odaiba with the rest of Tokyo: Rainbow Bridge.

Ken Ichijouji and Stingmon calmly stared southward from the towers; on this clear day, they could see all the way to Mt. Fuji. It was a stunning sight; especially this early in the morning, where the rays of the morning sun shined upon its snowcapped peak.

_Such a grand view_, thought Ken.

"Something on your mind?" asked Stingmon.

The Child of Kindness shrugged. "Nothing much, to be honest…although, I have to say that I am thinking about Yolei."

"You talking about the soccer game?" asked Stingmon out of curiosity.

"Not just that…us in general." It was sort of odd; given how casual Ken was being, one would assume he was talking about the weather. Then again, it was easier to talk with his partner than anyone else; social inhibitions need not apply. "Sure, I have had girlfriends before…but it was for publicity and photo ops. Back in the days before I met the other Digidestined." He decided not to mention the Emperor; he could do without mentioning that particular on his life. "But Yolei…she's making me feel feelings that the others couldn't even reach."

The insectoid Champion frowned as his wings twitched. "Hmm…are you going to be dating or anything?"

Ken Ichijouji chuckled at his partner's naïve question. "We're both a little too young to pursue each other in that fashion…although I can't deny that we ARE close." An ironic chuckle escaped his lips. "It's come a long way since our first meeting."

"Indeed," remarked Stingmon as he remembered Ken and Yolei's first meeting. Ken had been the Digimon Emperor, and Yolei had been trapped with the others. In a fit of rage, Yolei had roared 'bite me'. So he had. Literally.

He had bitten her on the ear.

And now look at them. "I guess hardship can forge some very unlikely relationships."

"True. After all, I was there with you both during Puppetmon's Obstacle Course under File Island. I was also there with you when we were fighting that Imp inside Darkheart's Labyrinth…come to think of it, wasn't that an odd time and place to have a first kiss?"

Ken Ichijouji chuckled again. "It was a spur of the moment thing Stingmon."

"_Ken…!"_

Ken and Stingmon both blinked as they saw a feathery Digimon approaching them from the air. It was Hawkmon.

"Hawkmon!" shouted both of them as the Rookie plopped atop the tower. The dark-haired boy asked, "Are you all right? What's going on?"

"I'm quite fine," replied Hawkmon; he was SO glad to have good eyes; he might not have been able to see the two otherwise whilst on his way to Tamachi. "As for what's going on…Yolei has been kidnapped, and I know where she is."

Ken Ichijouji blinked as the words hit him quickly and without warning. _Kidnapped? What?_ Before Ken could say anything, his partner rumbled, "Tell us where she is."

"The Tamachi school auditorium," replied the avian Digimon. Stingmon quickly scooped up both Ken and Hawkmon before saying, "Hold on tight!" Wings buzzed as the Champion went flying.

Ken – his calm demeanor disappearing for the moment – worriedly asked, "Do you know who might've kidnapped her?"

Hawkmon shook his head. Even though he knew Ninjamon was behind this. "No…" Something suddenly occurred to him. "Wait…Davis is looking as well. Send a message to his D-Terminal and he'll come to us."

"Good idea," answered Ken as he pulled out his D-Terminal – he made it a habit to always keep it with him – and began typing in a message. As he did so, one thought went through his head.

_Yolei…I hope you're safe._

xxxx

_Dear Davis,_

_I found Yolei. Come to my school's auditorium._

_Regards, Ken_

xxxx

/Auditorium, Tamachi School, Tamachi, 9:31 AM/

"Do you know what kind of lipstick Ken prefers on a woman?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back (although one has to wonder how a straw can break a back to begin with). The Child of Caring roared, **"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T WEAR LIPSTICK! _ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN IDIOTIC! MY BRAIN IS NUMB FROM ALL OF THESE STUPID QUESTIONS! NOW LET ME DOOOOOOOOOWN!"_**

"No," replied Tatsuki.

"_**WHY NOT?"**_

"Because you still kissed Ken!" roared someone way back in the back.

Tatsuki Tamashiro nodded. "Right! And you still need to be punished!" She pointed at five of the girls in the very front, each one of them holding a tub full of soccer balls. "Your punishment for defiling Ken: TORTURE BY SOCCER BALL!"

"**WOOOOOOOOO!"** cheered the Rocketeers.

Yolei Inoue snarled. "You guys are all NIMRODS!" She was getting downright livid. "All of this all because I kissed ONE guy? You're obsessed! You're mentally unsound! WHY DO IT AT ALL?"

The Female Rocketeers went silent. Tatsuki calmly put all five tubs atop the main auditorium podium and walked towards Yolei, grabbing her glasses. "Think about it: Ken Ichijouji is a genius. He's a practical titan of athleticism. He's a celebrity…he's brought fame to our little district of Tamachi…he's modest, handsome, and kind." A smirk came to her face as she held an arm, motioning to all of the other Rocketeers. "And for someone so great, we all dedicated ourselves to him! After all…a boy so great as Ken would be an incredible husband." Tatsuki looked at Yolei. "Don't YOU agree?"

Yolei Inoue frowned for two reasons. One: her sight was now considerably hindered without her glasses. Two: that girl had a point. Ken WAS the most perfect specimen of manliness she had encountered to date. He was someone ANY woman would be happy with.

"That's why I formed the Female Rocketeers," continued the black-haired girl as she grabbed a soccer ball. "We all dedicated ourselves that, one day, one of us would become Ken's woman. Such a goal has brought us all together…some as friends, some as allies…and that is one of the reasons why we Rocketeers REFUSE to let Ken's girl be some **CHARLATAN!**" She threw the ball at Yolei.

_SMACK!_

**_"ONE!"_** cheered the Rocketeers as the ball bounced off of Yolei's face. The Child of Caring winced; at least the head honcho had been thoughtful enough to remove her glasses. Although that didn't erase the fact she had just gotten hit in the face with a soccer ball. Again. _What is it with me and soccer balls…?_

Tatsuki grabbed another one and threw.

_SMACK!_ On the chest.

"_**TWO!"**_

_SMACK!_ On the right thigh.

"_**THREE!"**_

_SMACK!_ On the face again.

"_**FOUR!"**_

_SMACK!_ Stomach.

"_**FIVE!"**_

_SMACK!_ Face.

"_**SIX!"**_

Tatsuki growled as she threw another ball. "You get the picture now?"

_SMACK!_

**_"SEVEN!"_**

Yolei winced as the ball split her lip, causing a minor trickle of blood. It wasn't fair; all she had done was kiss him…why did they want her to suffer so much for only that?

_SMACK!_

"_**EIGHT!"**_

"Ken is not yours to have…**ONLY ONE OF US CAN BE WITH HIM!**"

_SMACK!_

**_"NINE!"_**

**DOOM…**

The sound of doors suddenly being opened, creating an onrush of wind…it was a sound that, all too often, sounded like a death knell.

That was the sound of Ken opening the doors. Everyone turned to face him. A blue-haired girl shrieked, "IT'S KEN!"

The reaction of the Rocketeers was expected. Everyone – including Tatsuki – paled at the sight of their idol. Standing beside him were two Digimon: Wormmon and Hawkmon.

The avian Rookie yelled, "YOLEI!" He quickly flapped his wings, flying over to the battered Digidestined child; although she had only been hit nine times, those impacts had left rather large bruises. He snapped at the ropes with his beak, severing them. Yolei groaned as she fell to her knees, wincing. "Ow…those soccer balls hurt…"

Suddenly, Tatsuki dropped Yolei's glasses as she roared, **"KEEEEN!"**

"**_KEEEEEN!"_** shrieked the other Rocketeers as they all charged, their faces contorted into joyous smiles of pure ecstasy. The Rocket was here!

Ken Ichijouji was not so happy. "Wormmon. Digivolve."

Wormmon digivolve to……Stingmon!

All of the girls skidded to a halt as the massive Champion stood over them, growling at them angrily. The suddenly meek females – having been so aggressive mere moments ago – parted away as Ken walked forward, with Stingmon right behind him. He paid no mind to the excited mutterings he got from the crowd that slowly gathered behind him. As he neared the large podium, Tatsuki came forward. "Your loyal fans welcome you Ken Ichijou-"

**SLAM!**

All of the Rocketeers gasped. Yolei Inoue blinked.

Ken had just slammed his fist into Tatsuki's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. As the girl fell to her knees, the Child of Kindness angrily (oxymoron!) growled, "What gave you the right to do this?" He ascended onto the stage, grabbing Yolei's glasses as his voice increased in its anger. "Merely because she happened to kiss me, you let your jealousy take over. You let your pride take control…and you ended up going this far?"

Ken turned to face the Rocketeers, who suddenly looked very afraid and meek. No one paid attention to the person who suddenly entered through the already-open doors. The Child of Kindness growled, "So what if she likes me? You think you can treat her with all the callousness of a taskmaster directing a slave? Bending someone else's will to fit YOUR needs?"

An orange-haired girl stuttered, "B-but K-Ken-"

"**NO MORE WORDS!"** roared the Rocket, silencing the Female Rocketeers. Yolei blinked out of astonishment. _Ken…_

"I despise people like that…" Ken should know; he was one of them once, as the Digimon Emperor. "I didn't mind fans like you…but if you're going to let your emotions get the better of you…and harm innocents just because they don't belong to your little 'clique…" His eyes flared with rage, frightening the Rocketeers close enough to see them. **"…THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL DISBAND, _BECAUSE I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU!"_**

"Whoa whoa whoa! Time out buddy!"

Ken Ichijouji, Yolei Inoue, Stingmon, Hawkmon, and the Rocketeers all blinked as they turned to face the figure standing in front of the auditorium's double doors: Davis Inoue. XVmon was currently outside, trying to fit his large body into the much smaller doorway. Davis yelled out, "I got your message…but I come here to see you putting down your own fans? For shame Ken!"

Yolei immediately roared, **_"DIDN'T YOU SEE WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO ME?"_**

"I know," replied Davis nonchalantly as he approached the elevated section where Ken and Yolei stood. "And I agree; they need to be taught a lesson. But you're going about it the wrong way!" He stopped in front of the stage, standing between his fellow Digidestined and the Rocketeers. "Look…you guys like Ken because he's an awesome guy who can kick butt, right?"

Tatsuki Tamashiro numbly nodded, still somewhat numbed from Ken's diatribe. "Um…yes…"

"And apparently, it's clear these two have a thing going on, right?" As the Child of Miracles spoke, he pointed at Yolei and Ken, who both suddenly blushed at being mentioned – more or less – as an 'item'. "And you guys wanted to be in Yolei's place, right?"

The Rocketeers nodded in unison.

Davis smiled as he said, "Well…here's the thing. You all profess to being his fans…and not the regular kind, but the 'undying devotion' kind?" _The kind I wish **I** had?_

The Rocketeers nodded in unison once more.

"Well then if that's the case…then you should have no problem if these guys hook up!"

"**WHAT!"** impulsively shouted a few dozen Rocketeers. A girl with dirty blonde hair near the right side of the room yelled, "But…we wanted to be with Ken! How can we do that if someone else is with her?"

Davis Inoue grinned as he took in the entire group with a single gaze. Finally, with a confident, clear voice, he loudly said, "You guys say you love him, eh? Well, in a case like this…show him a different kind of love. A different kind of fandom! Show him that you can let the Rocket steer his own ship!"

Tatsuki Tamashiro warily asked, "What do you mean boy?"

"I mean that you should be happy for whatever decisions Ken decides to make!" answered the Digidestined leader with a loud voice, making sure everyone heard him. "I mean, think about it…being fans of someone means you support them through thick and thin. Being in love with someone means supporting their choices, even if you don't like them…so if Ken decides to become part of a one-two combo with Yolei…then LET him! If it makes him happy, it should make you happy!"

At the sound of these words, Ken felt strangely uplifted. _Davis…_ The Child of Kindness smiled inwardly. _Hmm. Only you could change the mood like this._

Yolei was feeling similar sentiments. _Since when did Davis become such a neat guy…? Well…he actually has been pretty neat. We've both just been too pigheaded to admit it._ The Child of Caring sighed; she truly wished that she were a bit more compatible with the Child of Miracles…after all, think of how well their sibling bond and friendship would be then?

The Rocketeers themselves were even feeling uplifted. After all, the boy had a point; if Ken Ichijouji was happy…then who were they to complain?

"Besides," continued Davis with a sly grin. "For all we know, Ken might end up dumping Yolei."

Yolei's face immediately darkened. _…and then he goes and shoots his own foot._ "Grrr…"

"And if that's the case…" Davis smiled as he winked at all of the Rocketeers. "…then Ken will be a single! And you guys can vie for his heart all you want…but only then! Sound like a plan?"

"**_YEAAAH!"_** cheered the Rocketeers, feeling much more joyous now that they still had hope. Tatsuki yelled, "Hear that Rocketeers? Hope's not lost…but even if we can't be with him forever, we'll still be happy for him? Right?"

Davis smiled at the sound of the cheering fangirls. _Heh…I've done good. Why can't I have fans like this?_

Suddenly, a black-haired girl with thin glasses piped up. "Wait! I remember you now!"

Everyone blinked, Davis included. _Huh?_ A smirk suddenly came to his face. _Ah…must be a secret admirer…well, praise me all you want!_

"You were the guy from the Overlords/Titans game who got hit in the nuts!"

Cue facefault. Davis Inoue grumbled irritably. _Gee…and to think I had almost forgotten that._

This sudden revelation caused a flurry of discussion amongst the Rocketeers.

"Anyone remember that game?"

"Yeah; Titans one 13 to 4."

"With the Rocket getting over half of the team's total."

"That boy deflected the ball with his crotch? Ouch."

"Yeah…Ken had kicked it…"

"And that was right after Ken was tripped!"

All of a sudden, all of the Female Rocketeers turned as one, glaring angrily at Davis. **"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO TRIPPED KEN!"** With a ferocious roar, they leapt.

"WAH!" yelped Davis as he was smothered by the mother of all dog-piles (or should I say 'cat-piles'?). The Child of Miracles managed to get out a muffled shout before being buried under an avalanche of estrogen-packing fangirls of rage. "XVmon! HEEEEEEELP!"

XVmon grunted as he tried to squirm through the doorway. "I'll get there when I get there!"

Meanwhile, Ken, Yolei, Hawkmon, and Wormmon (who had just dedigivolved again) sweatdropped at the sight. The little insectoid Rookie politely asked, "Maybe we should sneak out the back door."

"I concur," simultaneously said his three compadres. The four quietly slinked towards the back of the stage…only to pause.

Tatsuki Tamashiro was blocking their way.

Before any words could be said, the black-haired girl bowed. "Forgive me for acting so harshly."

Ken smiled. "Apology accepted." Yolei shrugged. "Eh, same here."

The leader of the Rocketeers turned to face Davis as he struggled to break himself free from her fellows. "Who is that boy? He's quite an interesting guy."

Yolei glanced at the Child of Miracles – as he screamed that his face was being ripped off – before smiling warmly. "He's Davis Inoue…someone I'm proud to call my brother."

Tatsuki said nothing as she let the four pass, her eyes affixed to the boy who had somehow gotten the entire mess to end on a high note. _Davis Inoue…you're one heck of a miracle-worker._ The girl immediately went over to the large pile of humans with the intent of letting the poor guy free.

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 10:03 AM/

Yolei and Hawkmon calmly slid into the room via an open window. Ken stood outside, perched upon Stingmon's shoulder. "I'm very sorry about all the trouble."

"Oh, it's okay, I'm just grateful you guys were able to show up to bail me out." _Although I still have no idea how those freakish girls managed to pull off kidnapping me._ She ruffled a few wrinkles out of her purple pajamas before saying, "Um…I don't suppose you could keep this whole thing a secret?"

The Child of Kindness smiled. "Of course. I wouldn't want this to be known either." As he turned away from the window to fly away on Stingmon…

"Ken?"

Ken turned around to be greeted by a hug around the neck. "Thanks."

Ken Ichijouji blinked as the familiar feelings rose to the surface. He could only return the embrace as he said, "You're welcome." After five seconds, they broke the embrace and Stingmon took to the sky, leaving Yolei and Hawkmon in their home.

As the Child of Caring looked up at the ascending duo, Hawkmon was in deep thought. _Now…there's the matter with Ninjamon…_

xxxx

/Inoue Convenience Store, Odaiba, 10:10 AM/

"Good morning!" chirped Yolei as she walked down the stairs, wearing more proper clothing for the cold weather (ie: Jeans, sweater, and a beanie).

Mantarou looked up from behind the counter, saying, "Yo. How was your trip to the Digital World?"

It took her a few moments to realize that it was an excuse Davis had told their family to explain her absence…so she innocently said, "Just fine."

_**Thump.**_

The two looked out the glass windows to see a pair of blue legs land outside on the pavement. Then a light as the shape shrunk. When the light faded, it revealed Veemon…and standing beside him was Davis.

As they entered the store, Yolei winced. _Owch._

Davis' face was covered with bruises and scratch marks…and there were even some teeth marks (yes, TEETH MARKS) on his arms and legs. The grumpy-looking boy marched up to Yolei and grumbled, "You officially owe me."

Then he fell to the floor unconscious.

Mantarou blinked out of confusion. "What happened to him?"

Yolei answered the best way she knew how.

"Fangirls."

xxxx

_**TO BE CONCLUDED…**_

_**NEXT TIME…**_

Chapter 27: Truce

-OR-

Bonding: Yolei

xxxx

Author's Notes: (smiles) Be honest; how many of you guessed the missing arm was possibly an illusion? The only ones who even mentioned the possibility of an illusion were SjKid and blazing fury. So yay, I fooled some people. :D

Anyhow, sorry for the late update; I kind of bogged down about two-thirds of the way three, and then finished the rest in one night. Meh.

Hope I captured the essence of otaku and fanboyism with the Rocketeers. Oh, and Housemates ends in November.

See you soon, and please review!


	27. Truce OR Bonding: Yolei

Standard Disclaimer: Ladies and gentlemen. Lawsuits are bad. That is all.

Author's Notes: First off…um…so…how about those Paris riots? Comments?

In story-related news: FINAL CHAPTER!

To the reviews!

Yamimaru: Name origin doesn't really matter, seeing as how Genjamon and Taijamon are both made up. :P

Ficmaster: Well, Wilma passed awhile ago…so yah. o.o

Bluesv20: Du-du du du du-du-du-du-du-duel:-P

blazing fury: I was hoping I could capture the spirit of the hardcore otaku.

Dark Qiviut: haha i ful y00.

;P

Ahem. Anyhow, careful with the baseball bat. Baseball season's over, after all. (boots you off a cliff)

duskmon87: Ninjamon did it to show that he's a pompous jerk. That blunt enough?

Crest of Water: I certainly hope I do update soon. T-T

SamuraiSirius: Yeah. It WOULD be interesting to see Davis become a cyborg of sorts (is also a FMA fan).

Anthony1: Sorry bub. If Davis is going to end up with anybody, it's going to be Kari. However, you KNOW that if I name a character, they'll be making a return appearance in the Zero 2 series. So keep an eye out for Tatsuki, as well as Daichi (of course), Seiji Waya, Saito…etcetera, etcetera.

american idiot 101: He was in a hurry. You'd be surprised at how bad your thinking gets in a situation of panic.

SjKid: I have more than enough time to write too. But then again, I do have three stories…plus a new game (points to _Ninja Gaiden Black_).

Saiyoto: Don't worry. There will be more Zero 2 goodness, even after the end of Housemates.

Yami Vizzini: The illusion was the work of that slip of paper that bore the character for 'fire calamity'. The paper belonged to Genjamon…and you'll see his powers elaborated upon in 'Battle of the Shinobi'.

Cloud-821: Yes, except that Davis has the Armor of Miracles instead of the Gum-Gum Fruit. And to be blunt, I think a Magna Punch trumps a Gum-Gum Pistol any day. :D

Digi fan: Hilarity.

Crimson G: Fellow Naruto fan, I presume? o.o

Sora Potter: Just you wait until the next story.

Dot Cubed: Read my response to duskmon for the answer.

Silver Warrior: Like a flamer? Or a spammer? Or a troll?

Uncle Istvun: Ooh. A friend of Cloud's! Welcome to Zero 2, and thanks for the compliments.

Also, due to FFnet's symbol restrictions, the 'at' symbol in e-mail addresses will be replaced with (at). Also, there's going to be some usage of Halo terms in this chapter, so I'll give you a handy dandy dictionary.

Warthog – A drivable jeep, complete with a LAAG (Light Anti-Air Gun) as a tail gun.

Stickied – Term used to describe being hit by a blue plasma grenade; plasma grenades stick to a target, hence the term.

Respawn – People knowledgeable in multiplayer games should know this term. :P

Pelican – A futuristic dropship. Can drop off vehicles and ferry Marines.

Wizard- An asymmetrical multiplayer level.

Now…BEGIN!

xxxx

We cut to a small stage that's pitch-black. Then a light comes on…revealing Veemon in a tux, holding a sign that had words written on in red with a golden outline. In the background, Impmon was playing music on an old piano, fit for an old vaudeville (you know, those old variety shows?). As a matter of fact, the whole scene seemed reminiscent of an old-fashioned magic show, at least in terms of the introductions.

**Chapter 27: Truce**

Suddenly, a hook wrapped around him; the blue Rookie yelped as he was pulled off-stage. A slip of paper fell out of his sleeve, slowly falling to the ground…and it had one word on it.

**-OR-**

Veemon grimaced as he struggled back on-stage, the cheerful tune ringing throughout the stage. The blue dragon managed to pulled out one more sign and prop it up onto a tripod before being yanked off with a shriek.

**Bonding: Yolei**

Then the curtains fell.

And off-camera, Impmon grumbled, "I **_HATE_** the piano!"

_(Don't worry. Segment's over.)_

xxxx

/Yolei's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, Monday, December 19th, 8:47 PM/

Yolei Inoue felt a bit tired. It was understandable, considering it was night… but her slumber was more due to the stress from yesterday's 'fangirl' debacle. _Man…I never want to go through that again._

A slight chill ran through her; despite her purple pajamas and thick, thigh-high leggings. It had gotten quite cold that day; she hoped that she wouldn't come down with something. Her eyes drifted momentarily to Poromon, who was sleeping quietly on the pillow next to her. _I wish I had feathers. Then I wouldn't be so cold._

Dim light filtered in through the window; it was enough to provide some partial illumination in the bedroom. The Child of Caring calmly turned on her side and reached over the edge, clutching at the D-Terminal she had hidden underneath her mattress.

The D-Terminal; essentially, it was a PDA…with several other functions (one important one was that it held the Digieggs of Love and Sincerity in a digital form until whenever she used them for Armor Digivolution). One of the ones she had used extensively was the E-mail function.

She calmly selected the address for Ken's D-Terminal. After all, it wasn't THAT late…and she felt like talking to him. Well, typing to him, in any case.

She wished there was a 'chat' function on it; it would be better than e-mailing each other back-and-forth. And quicker. Then again, on a D-Terminal (which had no keyboard), a chat program would be about as fast as E-mail.

Yolei Inoue calmly typed in her message.

"_HEY. FEEL LIKE TALKING?"_

She sent it to Ken(at)D-Terminal.

A few minutes later, a reply returned.

"_**HELLO YOLEI. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO HEAD TO BED."**_

Yolei giggled nervously as she went through the long process of using the D-Terminal's buttons to select the letters on the on-screen keyboard. _"SORRY ABOUT THAT."_

Thirty seconds later.

"_**DON'T BE."**_

Yolei smiled. _"WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE IZZY OR GENNAI PROGRAM A CHAT PROGRAM INTO THIS THING."_

"_**OR MAYBE A TOUCH SCREEN."**_

Yolei nearly laughed out loud. _"TRUE."_

"_**SO. WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?"**_

Yolei Inoue remained silent as she glanced up at the ceiling. _Hmm…what indeed? "NOTHING MUCH REALLY."_

"_**AH."**_

The Child of Caring couldn't help but feel a sense of peace. Talking like this was almost therapeutic (even though she didn't need therapy…though Davis would say otherwise. ZING!); just a simple conversation between friends. Or was that 'more-than-friends'? _"BY THE WAY…"_ She even went through the trouble of adding an ellipsis. _"YOU WERE KIND OF COOL YESTERDAY."_

A few minutes passed. Yolei swore that that comment had sent Ken into full blush mode.

"_**DON'T MENTION IT."**_

_I knew it_, thought Yolei with a smile. Female intuition: both powerful and frightening in its accuracy.

For the next few hours, the two only talked about anything and everything that came to mind. Why? No reason. What reason do friends need to converse?

xxxx

/Davis and Mantarou's Room, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 9:05 PM/

Meanwhile, as Yolei and Ken conversed electronically, Davis and Mantarou were electronically delivering a major smack-down…with bullets.

Game: Halo.

Difficulty: Heroic

Level: Silent Cartographer (4th level)

Area: The Starting Beach Assault

Davis and Mantarou conversed calmly as they both threw grenades simultaneously on-screen, whilst Veemon watched with rapt interest from Davis' bunk. The Child of Miracles said, "So Mantarou."

"Yeah Davis?" asked Mantarou as he wiped a bit of sweat off of his forehead.

"Do you think this whole pranking business should stop for good?"

Mantarou ducked behind a rock to avoid a shower of plasma fire as he said, "You're saying it hasn't?"

"Not that. I mean…in the future. Should Yolei and I formally agree on a peace treaty or something?"

"That's your decision to make bro," muttered Mantarou as his eyes darted over his half of the screen. "Look out! Grenade!"

Davis blinked as he twisted the joysticks of the controller, only to find a blue, pulsating grenade stuck on his character's visor. "AH! I'VE BEEN STICKIED!"

**BOOM!**

Davis moaned as he set the controller down. "Aw man!"

"At least you'll respawn."

"Only when the area's clear of bad guys! I'm gonna miss all the action!"

"Shouldn't have gotten stickied then."

"Fine. I got dibs on the Warthog's tail gun then."

As Davis watched Mantarou work his way through the enemy aliens – with the help of computer-controlled Marines – he thought in silence about the Prank War. Sure, he had gotten the last laugh (although Yolei didn't know he had been responsible…and even if she did, she couldn't prove it), but it had led to the crazy incident with the Female Rocketeers in Tamachi. Getting beat up by an enemy Digimon? He could handle that. Getting mauled by fangirls? A fate he would not wish on his worst enemies.

It made him wonder what would happen if he and Yolei kept on, egging each other further, upping the stakes – and the pranks – each time. At that rate, it wouldn't be long before their acts got them on the news. _Hmm…I wonder if I'd look good on prime time TV?_

The Child of Miracles shook his head. He didn't need to entertain any possibilities like that; he would follow Mantarou's advice. Tomorrow, he'd make his truce to Yolei. No matter how hard it would take him to say it.

"Davis, you've respawned!"

"Oh," muttered Davis as he grabbed his controller and turned towards the Warthog that had been dropped off by a Pelican dropship…and he paled. "**HEY!** You took the tail gun!"

"So?"

"I called it!"

Mantarou childishly stuck his tongue out. "First come, first serve."

Davis' eyebrow twitched as a dark look came to his eyes. He pushed the left trigger; the button used for throwing grenades.

**BOOM!**

"YOU BLEW ME UP!" protested Mantarou.

Davis haughtily said, "Serves you right!"

Mantarou grumbled before a smile came to his face. "Fine then! I challenge you to a Slayer match on Wizard!"

"You're on!"

Veemon could only watch in fascination as the two brothers began setting up the multiplayer match. _Boy. They sure take this seriously. But I guess it's because it's fun…I mean, Davish sure is having a good time!_ That brought a smile to the blue dragon's face.

xxxx

/Next Day/

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, Tuesday, December 20th, 12:07 PM/

Sitting next to the goal on the soccer field was a large group of Digimon comprised of Hawkmon, Upamon, Veemon, Impmon, Gatomon, and Patamon. Sitting amongst them were a few humans; Cody Hida, Yolei Inoue, Kari Kamiya, TK Takaishi, and Daichi Etsuya.

Kari glanced around. "Where's Davis? Is he heating his food in the school microwave or something?"

"Yeah," replied Yolei. "We had some fast-food last night. Davis brought an uneaten burger and the leftover fries for lunch."

Cody calmly picked at the noodles in his cup of instant ramen; after silently slurping some of the Chicken-flavored noodles into his mouth, he said, "So Yolei…it's been over a month-and-a-half since Davis and Jun joined the Inoue family. How have things been?"

Yolei Inoue remained silent as she ran a hand through her lavender hair. That was a rather interesting question; how HAD things gone since Davis' arrival? How had her family changed? What had been the effects? "Well…I have to say that at first…he was a bit bitter."

"_DON'T CALL ME THAT! **I'M NOT YOUR BROTHER."**_

TK nodded. "Yeah…he WAS a bit irritable on his first day to school as an Inoue…"

_This time, it was Davis' turn to lose his patience. "I'M NOT DAVIS MOTOMIYA!"_

_Mrs. Hakashi stepped backward out of surprise. The rest of the class recoiled; they hadn't expected Davis to lash out like that. Finally, Davis angrily muttered, "My name is Davis _Inoue_."_

Yolei then continued on. "But he kind of mellowed out after that…then he discovered my brother's Xbox. They bonded just like that." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

Upamon chirped, "Wow! So they became partners or something?"

Yolei facefaulted.

Cody coughed as he interjected. "Um…it was a figure of speech Upamon."

"Oh." The In-Training immediately dove back into a potato chip bag.

"I have to say," continued Yolei. "It was really awkward; I mean, Davis and I were never really the kind of people to 'gel' together."

Kari nodded fervently. "I can attest to that."

The Child of Caring leaned back onto the grass as she gazed at the cloudy sky above. "But my family liked him from the start, I think. He wasn't a loner, per say…I mean, he does what he can to help from time to time." She momentarily thought of how he had tried to help out on Jun and Jim's first date…by stealing her stereo. _Talk about smart. Not._ "After all, Davis is NOT a bad guy."

Veemon immediately yelled, "Of course Davish isn't! He's a good guy! Are you saying he's a Dark Master or something?"

Yolei facefaulted again. But since she was laying down, that was kind of hard to do.

"Um…I believe that was another figure of speech," muttered Cody. _But it wasn't much of a figure of speech to begin with._

"Oh." Veemon immediately grabbed another handful of Gummi-Saurs (think Gummi-Bears, except with dinosaurs, Godzilla, Gamera…)

Daichi snorted. "Continue on."

Yolei shot the dark-haired boy a glare. "I'm the one telling the story. Don't rush me."

Daichi casually shrugged. "Hey, not my fault. Besides, I owe Davis a lot myself." _He's the one who got me off bullying…and got my stupid parents to make up._

Yolei sighed again. "Well…we all owe Davis a lot. He was practically behind the principal's idea to create the school guidelines concerning Digimon."

"And da way he put those joiks down was sweet," said Impmon with a smirk.

"_**SHUT UUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPP!"**_

_All of the Digidestined leapt backward out of surprise; the students in the hall paled at the outburst. Davis Inoue continued his angry tirade. He had enough of the prejudice…enough of the anger…and enough of the hatred._

"_YOU THINK YOU CAN ACT SO HIGH-AND-MIGHTY? WELL GUESS WHAT! _YOU OWE YOUR LIVES TO THESE DIGIMON!_ ODAIBA WOULD STILL BE NOTHING MORE THAN CINDERS WITHOUT THEM! YOU THINK YOU'RE BETTER? YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEMEAN THEIR LIVES? YOU THINK YOU CAN DENY THEIR RIGHT TO EXIST? _WELL YOU CAN'T!_ UNLESS YOU'VE SACRIFICED BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS TO PROTECT THIS WORLD, _I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANY COMPLAINING!"

Gatomon nodded. "I remember that…he really let everyone have it."

"He stood up for what was right," calmly said Cody. "It was the right thing to do. And think of how much it paid off." He glanced over onto the soccer field; there were at least thirty other Digimon now, with partners to match. "So many people have partners now. But there are still those who won't get past their prejudice."

TK sighed out of remorse. Sometimes the gene pool produced very foolish humans. "Only time will tell."

"Anyhow," said Yolei as she continued on. "Things were going smoothly…until this whole 'Prank War' business started." Her teeth ground together and her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white. "It was just a back-and-forth battle of pranks…milk in my hair, glue to his seat, laxatives and frog guts in my food, itching powder in his underwear…and that was just within the first couple of days!"

"Wait wait wait," interrupted TK. "You put itching powder in his **UNDERWEAR?**"

Yolei nonchalantly said, "I paid Daichi to do it."

"In my defense, I prefer usage of the term 'bribed'."

Ignoring Daichi, Yolei continued on. "Anyhow…from there on, it got worse. Remember the clothes on the flagpole? I responded by removing his eyebrows. Then Davis fought back with a contrived prank that got me in Ken's room while I was only in my underwear and he was naked."

Daichi arched an eyebrow, the evidence of a chuckle coming to the edges of his lips (Impmon was already laughing, naturally). "Well…I certainly wasn't told about _THAT._"

"You don't have a D-Terminal, and it's a long story," answered Kari. "I spoke with Davis about that particular prank…he was certainly amused."

Yolei snorted. "Whatever." However…he did come through for me with the whole 'fangirls' thing. "I told you all about the fangirls yesterday at lunch and how they mauled Davis while trying to calm them down."

Daichi smirked. "For the record, I wouldn't mind being mobbed by a bunch of women."

The Digidestined sweatdropped.

"All in all…I think Davis has really become a part of the Inoues. Jun wasn't that much of a factor, because she had been good friends with Momoe for a long time, so it was easy for her to integrate." Yolei cleaned her glasses with a lint-free cloth before continuing, "As for me…well, I have to say that the last several weeks have been interesting."

Davis suddenly sat down amongst them, chomping down on his heated burger and fries.

Kari cheerfully said, "Hey Davis! We were just talking-"

He was done already. He immediately got up and started jogging around the soccer field.

"…about you," finished Kari, her expression contorted into one of confusion. "What was that about?"

Patamon pointed over at a Bakemon near midfield. "I overheard that guy talking about how his partner had a big game later today and that it was important."

Realization hit Kari like a bolt of lightning. "Oh yeah…today's the second quarterly Middle School-High School game! Tai's practiced all weekend for it…I think he wants to actually end the game with a victory and not a tie like last time."

"And without getting knocked out," pointed out Cody.

TK chuckled. "True."

And all the while, Yolei just continued thinking about the impact Davis had had on her family.

xxxx

/Soccer Field, Odaiba School, Odaiba, 3:43 PM/

"WOOHOO! GO LITTLE BRO!" cheered Mantarou and Jun as the second quarterly Middle School-High School game continued on; it was currently early in the third period, with the score tied 2-2. All of the Digidestined (save for Joe, who was busy preparing at home for end-of-semester exams) were present, cheering for both Davis and Tai (after all, how could they split the cheering? It was especially difficult for Kari, considering that Tai was her brother). The only ones who were clearly biased for Davis were Mantarou and Jun, for understandable reasons.

Yolei remained silent as she fingered an apple in her left palm, her eyes watching Tai as he stormed downfield with the ball in his possession. However, her mind was in an entirely different place.

Davis, despite his faults (impulsive, carried a grudge against her, tendency to be macho and pig-headed), was a very lovable guy. He was loyal, courageous, friendly…and one heck of a leader when it came down to the wire.

Tai suddenly looked to his right; Davis was zooming in towards the ball. _Fast!_

So why was it so hard for her to get along with him?

Davis – with an uncanny quickness – stole the ball right from Tai and made it past midfield into High School territory. The Kamiya male was in disbelief; Davis had NOT been that fast back in September, when the first game had taken place. _His adventures in the Digital World must really be paying off!_ Scowling, he took his position at midfield; unlike halfbacks, forwards weren't allowed to play on their side of the field. Davis was a halfback, so he could play offense AND defense; Tai was all offense.

Yolei Inoue shrugged as she took a bite out of her apple. Perhaps it was one of those things she would never understand; maybe that's how they would always be: bickering and figuratively snapping at each other, in spite of the friendship they shared. That was the only explanation she could come up with.

Suddenly, her eyes dilated; a piece of apple was stuck in her throat.

Jun glanced at Yolei as she started to gag out loud. "Mantarou, she's choking!"

Mantarou – instead of acting with worry – sighed out of slight irritation. "Right on cue; an Inoue chokes every month. First time Yolei's choked twice in a row though…" As he calmly applied the Heimlich to his little sister, the whistle blew as Davis scored.

Cheers erupted from the crowd; Davis calmly glanced up at the stands just as Yolei spat out the apple wedge. With that glance, he made his decision: he would make a truce with her this afternoon.

Putting his mind back into the game, Davis returned to his position.

The Middle School team would go on to win 5-3 (much to Tai's chagrin).

xxxx

/Hallway, Inoue Apartment, Odaiba, 5:08 PM/

Yolei calmly stepped out of her room, taking with her a change of clothes and a towel. "I need a shower…"

She suddenly stopped; Davis suddenly stepped into the hallway, blocking her path. Demiveemon quietly stood on his shoulder, looking with his wide red eyes. "Oh. Hello."

"Hey Yolei," said Davis with a calm seriousness.

Silence.

"So…mind letting me get to the bathroom?" asked the Child of Caring.

"First thing's first," said Davis as he held up his hand. "Before anything else can be done, I need to say…well, I think we should put a stop to the whole pranking business. With the whole fangirl thing…I'd hate to see it escalate into something bigger than that."

_No kidding_, thought Yolei with a momentary expression of annoyance. "So…what are you saying? That we make a truce or something?"

Davis nodded. "Yeah! I mean, we are living together now…and I've grown to like this family." And he meant that from the bottom of his heart; the Inoues would never take the place of the Motomiyas, but now at least he could comfortably call himself a part of the Inoue family. Perhaps it had been because everyone was always there for him…maybe that's why he had acclimated so quickly. "Sure, we might have a few squabbles here and there – siblings have them all the time – but at least we'll be able to start off on a clean slate. Whaddya say?"

Yolei Inoue blinked out of considerable astonishment. To be certain, her notion that Davis was pig-headed might not have been totally correct…especially since he was taking the steps to stop the Prank War for good. "Well…I must say Davis…this is surprising. I mean, I'd never expect YOU of all people to forge a truce. Especially with me."

"Heh heh heh," chuckled Davis with a wide grin. "I like surprising people. What can you say? So…" He reached out with his right hand. "Truce…'sister'?"

…_did he just call me sister?_

Yolei couldn't help but laugh inwardly. There was just no telling anything with this boy. "Sure…truce…'bro'." They shook hands.

And thus it was over.

Davis had fully assimilated with the Inoue family by making his peace with Yolei.

"Now if you don't mind, I've got a shower to take!" Yolei cheerfully hummed as she walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Several moments later, the sound of hot water running filtered out from within.

Thirty seconds later, Davis opened the door by the slightest bit. "Go Demiveemon."

Demiveemon hopped off, scampered inside…and immediately rushed back out several moments later, the sounds of a flushing toilet coming from behind. Moments later, that sound was accompanied by the scream of a girl. Davis chuckled, a sly grin on his face. _Too easy._

"Davish…what was the point of that?" asked Demiveemon. "I thought you said no more pranks."

Davis grinned. "Due to a technicality, it is only a squabble."

"Oh…okay then!" chirped Demiveemon.

"**A SQUABBLE, EH…?"**

Davis stepped back as the bathroom door was rammed opened by an irate Inoue, her skin slightly red from the sudden douse of hot water. Her glasses were hastily put on, and a towel was wrapped around her upper body from the chest down to the thighs. Her eyes, however…were filled with rage. Clearly, any and all hints of a truce were gone from her conscious. **_"FINE. I'LL SHOW YOU A SQUABBLE!"_** She stormed into her room.

Davis suddenly frowned. _…something tells me I just did something very stupid._

Indeed. A penchant for pranking Yolei (or 'squabbling', as Davis put it) usually led to stupid things. And it also resulted in pain.

As clearly evidenced by Yolei roaring out of her room as she held a baseball bat in one hand, using her other to keep her towel from falling off. **_"RAAAAAAAAAARGH!"_**

"_AAAAAH!"_ screamed Davis as he bolted away, with Yolei in close pursuit. Demiveemon watched as the two ran off. _Brothers and sisters sure do have a lot of fun!_

The Child of Miracles zoomed towards the stairs down to the Convenience Store, with Yolei nipping at his heels.

As Sasuke and Subaru toiled away in the store, they blinked as Davis suddenly ran out the doors. Yolei followed, roaring, **"COME BACK HERE, _'BROTHER'!_ I HAVE A LITTLE 'SQUABBLE' WITH YOU!"**

As the two disappeared beyond the windows, Sasuke grinned widely. "Excellent. She called him 'brother'! This is a sign of improvement!"

Subaru sweatdropped. "Slightly dense…yet lovable." She calmly pecked her husband on the cheek before going back to work.

So Yolei chased Davis over several blocks that day. When they had eventually circled all the way back to their home, Davis had several bumps on his head.

However, due to the fact Yolei had run outside on a cold December evening with only a towel on, she ended getting a bit of a cold.

Oh well. Them's the breaks. And for the members of the relatively crazy Inoue household, par for the course.

And Davis wouldn't have it any other way.

xxxx

_**THE END**_

xxxx

Author's Notes: Well. It's over. Roughly ten months, 27 chapters, and over 100,000 words later, Housemates has ended. And what a trip.

I have to say, it was kind of challenging to write a purely humor-oriented story. You wouldn't BELIEVE how relieved I was to find most of my pranks from one site (unfortunately, the URL escapes me at the moment). It was when Davis started improvising, particularly with 'A New Prank', that it got hard to think them up. Even so, Davis and Yolei have such a comedic relationship that there's a proverbial goldmine of humorous nuggets to get. Case in point: the last scene of this chapter.

However, I did experiment with a bit of drama; having Davis acclimate into a new family was an interesting take on things, and it was really fun myself fantasizing about his transformation from a Motomiya into an Inoue. It was a bit difficult having to make up of all of Yolei's family; they had little airtime in the show, so Yolei's family members had no template. Of course, there'll always be a Davis Motomiya…after all, it just sounds so much better than Davis Inoue, doesn't it:-P

Anyhow, on to the lists.

Favorite Chapter (Your absolute favorite chapter overall. More than one can be listed)

Favorite Humor Chapter (The chapter that made you laugh the hardest. More than one can be listed.)

Favorite Inoue Character (This does not include Yolei, Jun, or Davis; I'm talking about the others. Subaru, Sasuke, Mantarou, Chizuru, and Momoe. Only one, please.)

Favorite Prank (Self-explanatory. More than one can be listed.)

Favorite Original Character (Daichi Etsuya, Seiji Waya, Tatsuki Tamashiro, Matsuo Saito, that bartender guy, Daichi's parents, the Female Rocketeers as a whole, Mary Sue from Davis' dream…and I think that's all of them. Only one please.)

And that's it.

Now for upcoming fics…of course, there's the obvious with…

_**Zero 2: Battle of the Shinobi**_

BotS will be a two-shot story. After that comes my next decently-sized story…with the spotlight being on Matt Ishida, his Teenage Wolves band, and a certain monkey with a bad singing voice. ;-)

_**Zero 2: The Comeback Tour**_

And after that…will be one of my most ambitious fics as of yet. One that will take a whole new spin on things…and all I can say is the name for it…

_**Zero 2: Tamers**_

(smiles) And that's all for now.

Thanks for the reviews, and see you next time!


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